Monrovia – Dr. Mohamed A. Sheriff, a United Kingdom–trained public policy and legal expert, has called on Liberians to confront what he describes as entrenched bad governance, warning that years of impunity, weak institutions, and poor economic decision-making have pushed the country into a fragile state.
By Augustus D.R. Bortue – augustus,[email protected]
“Bad governance does not refer only to corruption or isolated injustices,” Dr. Sheriff said in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa on Thursday, February 5, 2026. “It is a whole process in which power-holders act with impunity, undermining institutions and accountability mechanisms. When duty-bearers fail to act, citizens lose faith in democratic governance, and the state becomes weak.”
Dr. Sheriff, an executive member of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) and a noted researcher, spoke extensively on Liberia’s economic stagnation, trade deficits, monetary policy failures, international trade diplomacy, and the impact of parallel markets on the country’s ambition to achieve middle-income status in the 2030s.
According to him, Liberia has experienced the consequences of bad governance for decades and must now confront what he called a collective moral failure.
“We must confront this evil that challenges our conscience as civilized people,” he said.
Cost of State Failure
Dr. Sheriff noted that Liberia’s state failure, culminating in 14 years of civil conflict, has cost the country an estimated US$3.5 trillion between 1985 and 2010 through economic collapse, capital flight, and loss of human capital.
“Our argument is not to create a divide between the rulers and the ruled,” he explained, “but to establish dialogue that promotes accountability and constructive engagement with duty-bearers.”
Trade Deficit and Policy Failures
He argued that Liberia’s economy has been strangled by decades of trade deficits, which have weakened domestic production and forced the government to borrow heavily or subsidize key sectors to maintain legitimacy.
Citing a draft analysis covering July 2010 to December 2024, Dr. Sheriff said Liberia has recorded trade losses estimated at over US$22.5 billion, severely impacting GDP and deepening dependence on international lenders such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“Liberia’s bargaining power with international creditors is weak,” he said. “This exposes the country to unfavorable policy outcomes, similar to the failed Structural Adjustment Programs of the 1980s.”
He further accused international institutions of engaging in what he described as “policy dumping” and “venue shopping,” particularly in trade and finance, where resistance is weakest.
Policy Gaps and Borrowing Culture
Dr. Sheriff said Liberia suffers from weak policy agenda-setting and formulation, noting the absence of evidence-based policymaking across successive administrations.
“Borrowing to support fiscal policy dominated by recurrent expenditure is a bad policy,” he stressed.
According to him, Liberia’s trade deficit is particularly destructive because investment is concentrated in non-productive consumer goods. He cited data indicating that 96.4 percent of Liberia’s consumables—including rice, sugar, flour, vegetables, clothing, electronics, vehicles, and basic medicines—are imported.
“Domestic production is negligible,” he said. “Liberia is losing trade battles with Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria.”
Inflation and Monetary Policy
Dr. Sheriff warned that the trade deficit is acting as an inflationary force, weakening the Liberian dollar and increasing the cost of living. He accused the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) of relying heavily on contractionary monetary policies that reduce money supply without addressing structural causes of inflation.
“We need explanations,” he said. “The Central Bank must tell Liberians how its policies are creating jobs and alleviating suffering.”
He cautioned that poorly managed currency stabilization mechanisms could undermine investor confidence and worsen inflation, particularly through non-sterilized interventions that affect interest rates and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Public Sector Wages and Consumption
Dr. Sheriff also criticized the government’s wage policies, noting that the state employs nearly half of the formal workforce and that years of stagnant wages have eroded purchasing power.
He described the 2019 Harmonization Policy and the 2024/25 Employee Status Regularization Policy as inadequate substitutes for a general pay increase.
Health Risks and ‘Sweet Poison’
A major concern raised by Dr. Sheriff was the influx of substandard and expired food products into Liberia, which he linked to weak regulatory oversight and trade dumping.
“There is evidence that some imported food items arrive with less than six months to expiration,” he said. “Others expire in warehouses and are later repackaged and sold.”
He warned that Liberia has become a dumping ground for junk food, high in refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and empty calories—what he termed “sweet poison.”
“These diets are linked to obesity, cancer, and other non-communicable diseases, especially among children and pregnant women,” he said, calling on health authorities to publish and act on available data.
Business Climate and Inequality
Dr. Sheriff also cited concerns from local business owners, many of whom believe regulatory oversight is stricter for Liberian-owned enterprises than for foreign businesses, creating unfair competition and labor vulnerabilities.
Human Development Crisis
He pointed to Liberia’s Human Capital Index score of 0.32, meaning a child born today is expected to reach only 32 percent of their productive potential. He also referenced a June 2025 World Bank report ranking Liberia seventh among the world’s poorest countries and 177th out of 193 on the Human Development Index.
“This must change,” he said. “President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has a unique opportunity to change the course of history.”
Recommendations
Dr. Sheriff recommended the establishment of Food and Medicine Standardization Committees involving the Central Bank, Ministries of Commerce, Health, academia, and civil society. He also proposed strong food and drug standards, laboratory testing facilities, quality control mechanisms, a 35 percent tariff on substandard imports, and ubsidies to support domestic production under a regulated framework.
“When we say ‘never again,’ we mean it,” he said. “We will continue to speak out so that Liberia does not return to the darkness of the past.”
Dr. Sheriff concluded by urging Liberia to reposition itself strategically amid global geopolitical shifts, warning that failure to do so could erode the nation’s sovereignty, culture, and future.
