MONROVIA – The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has passed a bill granting the National Food Assistance Agency autonomous status.
Senator Darius Dillon of Montserrado County is the proponent of the bill.
The Senate’s decision resulted from a report from the Committee on Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry.
The Committee in its report submitted Tuesday, January 25, 2022 during the 5th day sitting recommended that Plenary grants the National Food Assistance an autonomous status.
Based on the report, a total of 16 Senators voted individually in favor of the committee’s recommendations, while two voted against. The motion to pass the bill was proffered by Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye.
In June 2021, a bill was proffered by Senator Abraham Darius Dillion of Montserrado County to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate seeking a Legislative action to transform the National Food Assistance Agency to an Autonomous Agency.
Senator Dillon acknowledged that the agency’s function and responsibilities are very vital to the food security of the nation.
He indicated in his communication that the NFAA was established by an Executive Order in the 70s and has been operating with the statutory mandate to coordinate all food assistant programs on behalf of the Government of Liberia.
The Committee also indicated that the NFAA be financed through the Budget of the Republic of Liberia and donor partners.
At the same time, the Committee noted that the Government of the Liberia intends to encourage investment in such sector to ensure sustainable development and realization of food security in line with goal number one of the sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations which seek to end global poverty by 2030.
The Committee’s report, however, states that the Government of Liberia and its international partners endeavour to strengthen Agro-Liberia Institutions to take responsibilities in the management storage and distributions of food commodities to the ultimate Liberian beneficiaries.
The National Food Assistance Agency has the mandate to address the disturbing issues of food insecurity in keeping with global efforts spelled out in goal two of the global SDGs aiming to end poverty by 2030. The Global hunger index (GHI) serves as an indicator in determining the alarming level of hunger in a particular region of the world.
Meanwhile the bill has been sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence.