The Liberian Business Association (LIBA) organized a press conference over the weekend to outline new steps to enforce the Liberianization Policy and strengthen indigenous participation in the economy.
LIBA president James M. Strother commended the Government of Liberia, particularly the Office of the Vice President, for taking concrete steps to enforce the policy, which reserves certain sectors for Liberian citizens. The association said enforcement efforts are beginning with the requirement that locally manufactured products be distributed through Liberian-owned distribution companies.
To oversee compliance, LIBA said the government has launched a National Taskforce that will work with government institutions, private sector stakeholders, and business associations. LIBA encouraged all businesses operating in Liberia to review the law and move toward compliance, stating that “the era of selective compliance must come to an end.”
The association through its president also announced plans to organize Liberian-owned distribution companies into a recognized sector under LIBA. The initiative aims to create a network of credible distributors to link local manufacturers with wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. The LIBA executive said manufacturers seeking compliant partners will be able to access the database and network it is building.
Strother said it is repositioning itself from a financing-focused association to a strategic private sector development institution. Its current focus includes business development, market access, policy advocacy, sector development, enterprise formalization, capacity building, and investment readiness.”
The LIBA president called on manufacturers, distributors, entrepreneurs, and investors to work together to build a stronger Liberian economy, and invited Liberian-owned distribution companies to engage with the association ahead of the formal establishment of the National Distribution Sector.
