Monrovia – In an effort to contribute positively to economic development, the CEO of the National Toiletries Company in Liberia, Mr. Fomba Trawally makes comments on how toiletries provision is affecting Liberia’s economy.
Report by: David S. Johnson, Intern, MediaAid Foundation, [email protected]
In an interview with this paper, Mr. Trawally said he started the business with very little equipment and resources since 2013 with so many challenges affecting the upliftment of the factory. He named issues of constant competition with imported toiletries commodities from around the world.
He said there is at most a difference between commodities that are Liberian made and foreign imported items and goods but with the challenges on providing standard for the Liberian economy the competition which had being about 30 percent has now increased to about 60 percent of the products selling on the market.
The national toiletries which have also began the production of water, and toiletries on the market according to Mr. Trawally is in the effort to provide safe drinking water, and materials for proper sanitation, body, and health needs for Liberians.
“Though the materials are imported, production are done to suit the market, and to bring a low cost best for the our people”, he says.
“Transportation of the commodities to the leeward counties is another problem we are faced with especially during the rainy season which in now in Liberia but we can assure the public that we are going to provide our products no matter what”, he adds.
Mr. Trawally further commented that his workforce had been very little but is increased to about 160 persons. Since the establishment of the facility which had been just one sided factory, it has increased to about three different facility separating the items that are being produced to provide fast production for these commodities.
The workforce which seems to be dominated by Guineans, and few Liberians allegedly reported that whenever there is issues of health with any employee working within the factory, the management lay them off without benefits but Mr. Trawally refuted statements of any mistreatment of his staff or equipment operators in the factories.
Another worker, who decided to remain unnamed, and who duty is to pack water and clean plastics for recycling at the water factory said that she had just come from Guinea and is enjoying her stay and duties at the factory. She commented that since her coming to the factory, there had not been any mistreatment done to her and her colleagues that she remembers.
As the National Toiletries continues it efforts to provide products on the market at the so called minimum price and cost according to its CEO and providing jobs for Liberians in different factories duties they can boasts of a company that just began with only one machine and a one sided factory to what it is now with a company using standard equipment serving the Liberian people.
“ We will continue to help and provide Liberia Made Commodities to turn the Liberian Economy to a more competitive one in the near future”, says the CEO.