By Othello B. Garblah
Africa-Press – Liberia. Liberia, a West African country blessed with abundant mineral resources, vast forests, and a climate conducive to agriculture, also has ample water resources. Despite these natural endowments, Liberia is still one of the poorest countries in the world.
It is an irony that a nation so rich in natural resources struggles with entrenched poverty. Come to think of it, the key reasons for this are multifaceted, touching upon poor human capital, inadequate infrastructure, stability issues, and a toxic political environment that deters investors.
Another barrier to Liberia’s progress is the lack of skilled labor. Without a workforce proficient in modern techniques and technologies, the potential of Liberia’s resources remains untapped.
This is compounded by infrastructure issues – poor roads, unreliable electricity, and inadequate communication networks. These deficiencies make it difficult for businesses to operate efficiently.
The toxic political environment
The political landscape in Liberia is another significant deterrent to economic growth. Political instability and corruption create an environment of uncertainty that scares off potential investors.
The fear of abrupt changes in policies and the absence of a reliable legal framework make long-term investments risky.
In recent years, major corporations like Sime Darby have been forced to cease operations in Liberia due to unrest. This unrest is not only driven by local politicians exploiting the populace’s ignorance but also by local chapters of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Green Advocates.
Many of these NGOs have been accused of fabricating stories and coaching locals to tell harrowing tales to secure funding.
While these actions may help the NGOs thrive locally, they harm the country’s economic prospects. The false narratives peddled sometimes incite locals against companies attempting to provide jobs and the government striving to attract investors.
The “Land Grabbed” Narrative
A recurring theme propagated by these NGOs is land grabbing. This narrative paints investors in the agriculture sector as villains, exploiting local communities. Such stories, whether true or exaggerated, have a chilling effect on potential investors who fear being maligned by NGOs such as the local Chapter of the Green Advocates.
These investors, wary of damaging their reputations, prefer to steer clear of Liberia, resulting in missed opportunities for economic growth.
These fabricated stories, which more often at times are at the root causes of violent protests at some of these plantations resulting to force closures, leave many families even poorer with no other alternative source of income.
When these companies fold-up and leave, these advocates leave these families helpless and jump into another region.
The hostile investment climate created by these factors means that Liberia continues to miss out on economic opportunities. Without foreign investment, the development of critical sectors such as agriculture, mining, and manufacturing is stymied. This has a direct impact on employment, income, and overall economic development.
Liberia has the potential to become a prosperous nation. However, it cannot achieve this under such toxic environment where NGOs, fabricate and instigate industrial unrests that continue to scare investors away.
Source: Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia
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