President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has called on members of the Presidential Rice Committee to accelerate strategies in order to address issues surrounding the Nation’s staaple food, Rice.
Rice, the Liberian leader acknowledged is a political commodity as such needs to be looked at carefully for the betterment of the people.
Speaking when he met with members of the committee at his Executive Mansion office, President Boakai encouraged the committee to formulate policies to ensure that Rice will be on the Liberian market.
Variety of Rice, he told the committee members has not been the people’s issue but rather the availability and affordability of it something he wants the committee to also take into serious consideration.
The committee’s work he stated is a new beginning for the sector adding that it is key that as the Country’s Staple Food, it is imperative that the people themselves take the power and charge of it.
“Liberians participation in bringing Rice to Liberia might be the beginning of the Country having millionaires”, he noted.
President Boakai Urged the committee to have the government informed about unfolding developments in order for them to make the necessary interventions.
He at the same time called on the banking sector of the Country to work with the Government in side direction.
“I am not against people investing but I am also sure that there are capable Liberians who can ensure that Rice gets on the market with focus on availability and affordability “, he re-emphasized.
President Boakai wants proper management mechanism to be put into place as well as Rice stabilization fund and Data base development to ensure that the market and people are informed should there be any situation.
He commended members of the Presidential Rice Committee and challenged them to work in the interest of the masses.
According to him, his government has come to rebuild Liberia that’s why they came as the rescue team a such, they will continue to work to put in place prominent policies to handle what is important to the Liberian people.
In brief response, some members of the committee thanked President Boakai for reposing confidence in them to serve their people especially at a critical time.
They promised to work together as a team and to put in place workable policies and strategies intended to address the issue.
At the same time, the committee comprising sector Ministries and agencies as well as the private sector and civil society all pledged to think out of the box and derive at wide range approaches in order to handle the issue practically.
“We will have the public informed about what is happening in both the domestic and foreign market and we will attract our concerted effort to ensure we achieve our desire goals “, they assured the Liberian people.
The committee wants the Central Bank of Liberia to reduce foreign exchange expenditures on Rice importers and support farmers as well as motorcycle riders and unemployed young people in urban areas to move to agriculture areas to help produce Rice and other food crops.
Meanwhile, the government’s concern and needed swift intervention of the Nation’s Staple Food is due to past infamous situations which they are working on to avoid such ugly recurrence
