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By: Wilmot Konah/ 0555666441 / 0775793638/ Email: [email protected]
The Director General of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA), Christopher Sankolo, has disclosed plans to amend the Act that established the government agency.
According to Sankolo, the current LACRA Act does not adequately align with the government’s ARREST Agenda, which seeks to promote agricultural development and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.
He emphasized that the amendment aims to ensure Liberians benefit more substantially from cocoa, palm oil, coffee, and other agricultural commodities by enforcing stricter regulations on foreign companies and agricultural firms investing in the sector.
“We can no longer allow investors to simply export our agricultural commodities,” Sankolo said. “We are now telling them to build factories here and export finished products.”
Director Sankolo explained that the proposed amendments would empower LACRA to serve as a key liaison between investors and local communities. With support from investors, the agency would take the lead in negotiating land access, managing investment processes, and ensuring equitable communication between investors and citizens.
“One of our major goals is to ensure that citizens receive fair benefits from their land and resources, while investors also gain value from their investments on an equal and just basis,” Sankolo emphasized.
He added that the amendment will include provisions requiring companies to establish processing facilities within Liberia, thereby creating jobs and enhancing the skills of local workers, reinforcing the government’s commitment to boosting domestic manufacturing.
Meanwhile, Director Sankolo revealed that LACRA’s legal team, in collaboration with lawyers from the Office of the President, is currently drafting the amendment. The finalized document will be submitted to the National Legislature for further deliberation and approval.
Director Christopher Sankolo made these statements Saturday during an engagement with residents of Gbonota in Sanoyea District, Bong County.
