05/11/2025
Commerce Ministry Clarifies..
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has clarified recent media reports alleging irregularities surrounding the US$429,000 Monrovia Industrial Park (MIP) rehabilitation project. The Ministry stated that the reports misrepresented the facts and emphasized that the MIP initiative is being implemented transparently and in accordance with all legal and administrative procedures. The MIP, established in 1966 to host local and foreign manufacturers, now covers about 200 acres and houses several small and medium industrial enterprises.
Oversight of the MIP was transferred from the National Investment Commission to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2017 under an Administrative Regulation, which also created an Inter-Agency Advisory Board. This Board, comprising representatives from ten key ministries and agencies, is responsible for approving all financial and operational decisions relating to the Park. The Ministry noted that past audits recommended that the MIP Fund be used strictly for development, security, and maintenance, and that all expenditures be approved by the Board.
In response to tenant complaints about poor conditions at the Park, the Board convened an emergency meeting on October 22, 2025, where a quorum was established and an adjusted operational budget of US$429,009 was approved for urgent rehabilitation and safety works. Priority activities include constructing an office building, security gates and booths, fencing the Park, resurveying land boundaries, improving sanitation, and hiring security personnel. The Board’s resolution was signed by nine of ten member institutions or their accredited representatives, making the decision legally valid under the governing regulation.
Following the Board’s approval, MOCI sought and received a “No Objection” from the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) on October 30, 2025, to proceed with procurement planning. The Ministry stressed that no contract has been awarded and no construction has begun only the Expression of Interest documents have been prepared for publication. MOCI reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and lawful processes, urging the media to verify facts before publication to avoid undermining public trust and Liberia’s industrial development efforts.