Africa-Press – Liberia. In a passionate appeal during a recent community gathering, Prince P.S. Howard, the Chairman of the Ganta Business Community Association, called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Administration and Vice President Jeremiah Koung to empower local entrepreneurs with accessible loans.
Mr. Howard emphasized that such financial support would boost productivity in Ganta, a bustling commercial hub long known as the City of Rubber” for its pivotal role in Liberia’s rubber trade and cross-border commerce with Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.
Ganta thrives as Nimba County’s economic heartbeat, where vibrant markets overflow with goods ranging from imported electronics to locally sourced agricultural products.
Yet Mr. Howard highlighted how local traders struggle to compete. “We’ve been driving Ganta’s growth through our daily hustle in wholesale, retail and services,” he said.
“But without affordable loans from government-backed banks, we can’t expand, modernize, or keep pace.”
He specifically urged Vice President Koung to advocate for these initiatives, enabling businesses to access capital for inventory, equipment and market expansion in a more productive environment.
Mr. Howard pledged that with this support, the Ganta Business Community would outperform its past achievements, fostering job creation and economic resilience.
However, he expressed deep frustration over the dominance of foreign traders who are involved into retail and extend it to hold scale among others, primarily from neighboring countries who flood local markets with cheap imports, undercutting Liberian vendors through aggressive pricing and informal operations.
“These outsiders are squeezing out our local and national businesses, creating major hardships,” Mr. Howard lamented. “Government intervention is crucial to level the playing field, perhaps through targeted policies like import duties or incentives for Liberian-owned enterprises.”
The Chairman also serves as Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Alvino Hotel Incorporated, often hailed as the “Your World of Hospitality” in rural Liberia.
Nestled amid Ganta’s lively streets, the hotel exemplifies local ambition, offering modern amenities that draw travelers and businesspeople to the region despite infrastructural challenges.
Compounding these woes, Mr. Howard openly criticized persistent electricity shortages crippling Nimba County. Businesses and residents continue to suffer from unreliable service by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and the Jungle Energy Power (JEP), forcing many to make hefty upfront cash payments for cross-border power from Ivory Coast.
“Generators cost a fortune in fuel and blackouts halt operations daily,” he noted.
Reliable electricity, Mr. Howard argued, would unlock Ganta’s full potential, powering cold storage for perishable goods, extended shop hours, and even small-scale manufacturing. As Nimba’s businesses rally for relief,
Mr. Howard’s call underscores a broader national push for economic inclusion. With strategic loans and infrastructure fixes, Ganta could solidify its status as a gateway for regional trade, benefiting Liberia’s post-pandemic recovery.
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