Massive awareness campaign against ‘fake goods’ and other inappropriate business practices are among steps undertaken by the Liberia Crusaders for Peace (LCP) to put a halt to the decades-long national mess.

For the past years, even before the civil crisis, which Liberians are blaming everything on, the commercial market was not freed of unscrupulous business deals. Observers say there were sales of fake goods, or bad goods, inflation of prices and other deals, in which Liberians got victimized.

But the Liberia Crusaders for Peace, a local not-for-profit organization is launched a campaign intended to end this ugly practice.

Last Saturday, the LCP launched a mind-moving occasion, which brought together dozens of Liberian traders and officials of the Liberian Marketing Association, the body that oversees activities of marketers.

At the occasion held in Redlight, Paynesville, one of the epicenters of Liberia’s commercial industry, LCP officials in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce highlighted the significance of the campaign through specially arranged messages and cultural performances.

“Beware of fake goods, don’t sell bad goods to customers, stop inflation of prices on the market, and many other were messages the LCP sent out to Liberians, as part of the consumer education campaign.

Apart from launching the program, LCP trained peer educators are dispatched across the country to sensitize Liberians on the importance of a good business practice and the danger of bad business practice as well.

In here remarks to climax the ceremony, aired live on radio, LCP Executive Director, Ambassador Julie Andee said  her organization has trained dozens of peer educators who will go into the fields and spread the message of “changing bad business practices.”  

Commerce Minister Frances Johnson Morris, who also added impetus to the occasion with her presence, reflected on the problems the country is encountering as a result of the global price trends, saying that the situation in the country is not unique to Liberia, meaning that other countries are experiencing similar trends.

However, in the wake of these developments, she said an action was needed to put things into the right prospective. “But what can we do about? We need to do what lies in our power,” she said.

Observers say the power she talked about is to work of with the LCP to educate Liberians to stop the bad business practices of selling fake and bad goods to customers and hiking price at their volition.

Though minister acknowledged that the essence of business is profit, at the same time, she warmed business people to stick to government’s ceiling prices.

“When we say rice should be sold for US$31.00 is should be. We don’t want to see anybody selling rice above this margin,” she said, and added that anything contrary is a violation of the law which her administration will not condone.

“They've a task which requires availability of resources coupled with the willingness of Liberians to listen to them and act upon their advices,” a trader who said he was present at the launch the campaign said.

This is the second campaign, in less than a year, the LCP has launched to support Liberia’s recovery program. About three months ago, the LCP initiated an anti-small arm and malaria campaign, with a thunderous launching program at the ATS.
 
Former ACDB Employees On Gov’t Back
By George J. Borteh

Former employees of Agriculture and Corporative Development Bank (ACDB) are in discussion with the Liberian government through the Agriculture Ministry for salary arrears and other benefits which according to them, government owes them.

For the past months, the former employees have been mounting pressure on the government to settle their arrears, but with little progress.

Speaking to The Analyst recently, the group spokesman, Sampson Borteh said government is indebted to them in the tone of US$47,000.00, as what he called “providence funds and salary arrears, including other benefits” incurred over the past year.

Mr. Borteh said they have since petitioned the National Legislature, requesting it to intervene and ensure that the government settles their claims.

Besides petitioning the lawmakers, he said they held a meeting with the lawmakers, including some top officials of the Agriculture Ministry at the offices of the special committee on agriculture.

At the meeting, he said, Agriculture Ministry officials were told to convey the message to President Sirleaf about the claims of former ACDB employees.

Mr. Borteh said that he has confidence in the Ellen-led government ability to settle their salary arrears and other benefits, and added that with the recent meeting with lawmakers and Agriculture Ministry, he is sure of getting their claims.