Rice is, unarguably, considered as Liberia’s staple food on which majority of the citizens depend for nutrition.
The commodity, owing to its demand, has in the past and even now, been used as political triggers in the country.
Just recently, it has been insinuated that there is an acute shortage of rice on the local market, thus giving rise to price hike of the commodity.
What is even more disturbing is the willful creation of artificial scarcity of the product, even though an assessment of the reported situation has shown that there is indeed enough quantity of rice at various warehouses around the Country’s Capital.
The Liberian Government, through the Commerce Ministry, has set the price of 25kg bag of rice at thirteen (13) United States Dollars, but of late, some unscrupulous rice dealers have arbitrarily increased the price of the commodity, to the detriment of the ordinary citizens.
In the wake of the situation, the Liberian Leader, accompanied by relevant government officials, on Wednesday carried on a physical inspection of various warehouses at the Freeport of Monrovia, containing consignment of rice owned by two leading importers of the nation’s staple food, the Fouani Brothers and the K and K Enterprise located in the port’s facilities.
A huge consignment of rice was seen at these warehouses, to the absolute dismay of the Government.
The Liberian Leader expressed total disappointment in the action of some citizens whom he intoned’ are putting political spin on the rumored scarcity of rice on the market and the high cost of the commodity’. He called on them to stop, terming their action as “sabotage’’.
Government has stated that there are seven-million bags of 25kg bags of rice in stock locally, thus allaying fear among citizens that there is no need to panic about fake shortage of the product on the local market.
President Weah also blamed the media for bad publicity, noting” we need to be honest about giving information to the public and report nothing less than the truth.
That is why we join calls by government to say stop creating artificial scarcity of the country’s staple food, and demonstrate patriotism. Avoid politicizing rice issue in the country, as the maintenance of peace and stability of the country is a collective responsibility of all citizens.
We equally admonish all citizens to adhere to government’s stipulated price of rice, as price hiking has the potential to undermine the country’s economy and create violence.
By: Victor Kezelee Sr.
