He described the current economic hardship as no longer a policy problem, but one of “implementation, enforcement, and trust.”Brown’s primary recommendation is the immediate formation of a high-level task force designed to break the “cartel behavior” currently stifling the local economy. He proposed that the body include the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), the Ministry of Transport, the LPRC, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). He noted that “small market cups” of rice the primary way low-income families purchase the staple remain prohibitively expensive. Bakery Goods: Despite the drop in flour prices, the cost of bread and local pastries remains high, impacting low-income households and school-aged children. Local Goods: Commodities like cassava, pepper, and charcoal are becoming unaffordable, which Brown attributed to high transport costs and exploitation by middlemen.

Source: Front Page Africa February 04, 2026 13:50 UTC