Dominic Nimely, National Chairman of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL), has strongly condemned Liberia’s two leading GSM operators, Orange and Lonestar Cell MTN—accusing them of widespread exploitation, fraudulent practices, and poor service delivery that are stifling local businesses and defrauding consumers.
Speaking to journalists in Monrovia, Nimely voiced deep frustration over what he described as “chronic network failures” and “substandard service quality,” which he said have crippled both rural connectivity and the business-driven Montserrado County.
“The persistent network disruptions and weak infrastructure reflect a total disregard for Liberian consumers and entrepreneurs,” he said.
Nimely’s harshest criticism focused on alleged fraudulent billing schemes.
He accused the telecom companies of engaging in “419” scams—illegally deducting customers’ credit and data balances without providing equivalent or reliable service.
“These companies are defrauding hardworking Liberians who recharge daily, only to receive dropped calls, slow internet, and disappearing credit. This is organized economic exploitation,” Nimely declared.
He explained that the ongoing network instability and unauthorized deductions have inflicted major losses on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represented by PATEL, who rely heavily on consistent communication services to operate effectively.
Calling for urgent government intervention, Nimely appealed to the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) and other relevant agencies to conduct a thorough, transparent investigation into Orange and Lonestar Cell MTN’s billing systems and service quality.
“We urge the government to act swiftly,” he stated. “Failure to enforce accountability and service standards would amount to neglecting its responsibility to protect Liberian citizens and businesses.”
Concluding his remarks, Nimely warned that continued inaction could trigger widespread public outrage.
“The people’s patience is wearing thin. If these issues are not resolved immediately, Liberians may take to the streets in peaceful protest against this exploitation,” he cautioned, adding that frustration among subscribers has reached a “dangerous boiling point.”
