In a blunt challenge to Liberia’s political class and consumers alike, a long-time advocate of ‘Liberianization,’ Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe has purchased locally produced rice from Liberian farmers, urging Liberians to stop “acting foreign” if they are serious about building the nation. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in Monrovia, after buying five bags of locally produced rice, Cllr. Gongloe said he was motivated by a recent story published by the News Newspaper, highlighting the struggles of a local rice farmer in Lofa County.
After reading the report, he contacted the farmer directly and bought five bags of the locally produced rice, paying through mobile money and arranging for delivery to Monrovia. “We cannot keep talking about Liberianization without backing it with money. In Liberia, we say, ‘Put your money where your mouth is.’ If we don’t buy Liberian rice, farmers will be discouraged,” he noted.
The well-landed councilor used the occasion to challenge the President, ministers, government officials, opposition politicians, civil society actors, and ordinary citizens to deliberately buy Liberian-made products, starting with rice, arguing that consumer behavior, not speeches, determines whether local production survives.
The Political Leader of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP) emphasized that the market is the real driver of growth; the only thing that makes a producer increase production is when consumers buy more. He said that when Liberian rice farmers start making real money in Lofa, others will invest. “That is how foreign rice becomes history.”
Cllr. Gongloe criticized the lack of seriousness by public officials in promoting agriculture, recounting his disappointment at a recent agricultural fair in Ganta, Nimba County, where many farmers reportedly returned home with unsold products despite the event being opened by the President.
The LPP political leader argued that national pride must be reflected in daily choices, not speeches, raising concerns about the quality and age of imported rice, while stating that locally produced rice is fresher and more nutritious. However, Liberia spends over US$200 million annually on rice imports, money he says, should circulate within the local economy. Referencing the motto of President Joseph Nyuma Boakia’s campaign, “Think Liberia, love Liberia, build Liberia,” Gongloe indicated that this must be reflected in conduct. We cannot say Liberia first and spend our money building other people’s countries,” he added.”
