Monrovia, Liberia – Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Liberia Minister of Finance and Development Planning, has emphasized the critical role the business community plays in boosting national revenue. On Tuesday, at the Freeport of Monrovia, Minister Ngafuan presided over a high-level stakeholders’ conference that brought together important business leaders to talk about operational obstacles and find quick fixes.
“We have a Budget, and we need to raise the revenue over a twelve-month period, and the business community is a key partner in this endeavour,” Ngafuan stated.
He underlined that addressing the issues affecting the business sector is essential if Liberia’s economy is to prosper through efficient income collection. Minister Ngafuan explained that this stakeholders’ meeting was a follow-up to initial discussions with the private sector held in October of the previous year.
“The private sector is the engine of growth for Liberia’s economy. To ensure they can effectively drive economic development, we must foster consistent communication and a conducive environment for business prosperity,” Minister Ngafuan said.
Minister Ngafuan emphasized that resolving the issues at the Freeport of Monrovia is essential for long-term economic growth, referring to it as the “gateway to the economy.”
Marthaline Dagoseh, the minister of commerce and industry, acknowledged the need of continuing communication with the business sector and conveyed the government’s profound concern on trade difficulties.
She mentioned that the pricing structure at the Port has been a recurrent topic in past discussions with organizations like the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, Liberia Business Association, and Liberia Marketing Association.
“I hope that through these discussions, we will find practical solutions to address the concerns and develop a clear path forward for collaboration between the government and the private sector,”Minister Dagoseh said.
Sekou Dukuly, Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA), also emphasized the importance of stakeholder involvement, describing it as a crucial part of their job at the port. He explained that although the NPA has a complete trade facilitation plan for the year, ongoing communication with pertinent parties is required to address new issues.
During the discussion, business community representatives voiced their worries about tariffs, customs taxes, and other difficulties. Through strategic income generation and trade facilitation, this ongoing conversation between the government and the private sector seeks to ensure Liberia’s economic stability and expedite procedures.
