The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Madam Magdalene Ellen-Dagoseh, announced earlier this week that the government has “broken the rice cartel” by allowing new Liberian-owned importers into the market.
The announcement, made through a detailed report outlining the Ministry’s achievements since Dagoseh took office in December 2024, claims that her leadership is transforming the commercial landscape-from digitizing internal services to implementing trade facilitation frameworks and promoting local participation in major import sectors.
According to the Ministry, several milestones have been achieved:
The digitalization of all MOCI services, including the Industrial Property Department (IPD)
The completion of a five-year strategic plan, pending formal launch
Establishment of the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and finalization of its administrative regulation
A finalized implementation strategy for the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
Training of over 150 staffers in industry clustering and trade data management
While these developments have earned praise in some quarters, not everyone is convinced.
Multiple industry stakeholders and MOCI authorities, speaking to Verity News on condition of anonymity, dismissed the Minister’s claims as “politically motivated lies.”
“This is a big lie,” the stakeholders stated bluntly. “The Minister is trying to play politics with us. She’s doing all of this just to look good in the public and in the eyes of the president. Nothing has changed. The same people still control the rice market behind the scenes.”
The source further alleged that no meaningful disruption of the longstanding rice import monopoly has taken place, and accused the Ministry of creating a public narrative that doesn’t reflect the situation on the ground.
“Yes, some new names may have been added on paper, but the real power players remain untouched. The public is being fed a story to make the Minister look like a reformer,” the insider added.
Rice is Liberia’s staple food, and any policy or claim relating to its importation carries enormous political weight. Previous attempts to reform the sector have been met with backlash and, in some cases, national unrest.
Minister Dagoseh, however, remains adamant that her office is committed to economic inclusivity, institutional reform, and industrial advancement. Whether her actions will translate into sustained and transparent change in the highly sensitive rice sector remains to be seen.
As citizens watch prices and supply levels in the market, many are now questioning: Is this a genuine reform-or just a well-timed political performance?
