Africa-Press – Liberia. Employees of the Liberia Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (LACRA) have commended Director General Christopher D. Sankolo for his transformative leadership.
The employee cited sweeping improvements in working conditions, operational performance, and Liberia’s agricultural export capacity.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa on Wednesday, June 11, LACRA’s staff expressed overwhelming support for Sankolo, who took office in March 2024. Workers described the changes at the agency as “unprecedented” and credited Sankolo with creating a more professional, functional, and inclusive work environment.
“Since 2018 I’ve been working here and saw how things were. Colleagues never had offices to work, no bathroom, no buses to commute workers to work,” said Gordon Garway, Public Relations Director of LACRA. “But since the appointment of Director General Christopher D. Sankolo, in less than a year, there have been massive improvements here. He has provided two new buses for employees, fully-airconditioned offices, and decent bathrooms.”
Other employees echoed similar sentiments. “Over six years I’ve been an employee of LACRA working in the program department, where we never even had an office space during the then CDC-government,” noted Philip Kojo Tolbert, Program Director. “But since Director Sankolo took office, he has provided offices for every department to function adequately.”
“There’s a noticeable difference in how we operate now,” said Aletha Paul, a long-serving employee. “The leadership has prioritized our welfare, provided necessary tools in transportation, clean working environment, and opened up channels for communication for all employees, which has directly translated into us being able to serve the Liberian agricultural sector more effectively than ever before.”
George Garly, another staff member, highlighted improved support for employee welfare: “The Director General has ensured that our welfare is well taken care of, including just-benefit for directors. We’re seeing better outreach programs and more efficient commodity handling, which benefits everyone involved in the agricultural value chain.”
Since his appointment by President Joseph Boakai in March 2024, Sankolo has overseen a dramatic institutional turnaround at LACRA. Most notably, agricultural exports surged from 2,660 metric tons in 2023 to more than 35,000 metric tons in 2024 — representing an increase of over 1,200 percent.
The success is linked to improved product quality controls, increased oversight, and stronger coordination between farmers, exporters, and regulators. The number of licensed exporters jumped from six in 2022 to 23 by mid-2024.
Financial performance has also improved. From 2022 to 2023, LACRA’s account balances reportedly never exceeded US$10,000. As of May 2025, the agency maintains over US$1 million in its accounts — a result of tighter revenue collection, expanded licensing, and better trade monitoring.
Working conditions at LACRA’s headquarters, previously described as near-collapse, have also undergone complete rehabilitation. Offices have been refurbished with furniture and computers, air conditioners installed, and new sanitation facilities constructed.
Electricity and water supply have been restored through installation of a 50KVA generator, a 100KW transformer, and a new borehole and reservoir system.
In addition, a decentralization plan has been rolled out to revive LACRA’s regional offices. Offices in Lofa, Nimba, Bong, and Grand Gedeh have been renovated and equipped, strengthening outreach to farming communities.
Under Sankolo’s leadership, over 50 Quality Control Officers (QCOs) were trained in partnership with UNIDO and the Ghana Cocoa Board and have been deployed to improve inspection processes and curb illegal trade. These efforts aim to align Liberia’s commodity exports with international standards.
Another major milestone was Liberia’s reinstatement into the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO), after years of suspension. Liberia was officially readmitted on November 27, 2024, following a US$15,000 payment toward its €150,000 debt.
“Rejoining IACO demonstrates that Liberia is ready to re-engage with international trade institutions and take its place among Africa’s leading agricultural nations,” Director General Sankolo said.
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