Africa-Press – Liberia. Liberia’s economy is “repressed,” according to the 2024 Index of Heritage.Org, a platform that provides statistics on economic freedom globally. “Liberia faces significant challenges in furthering its transition to a modern, open, market-based system,” the group also said.
Additionally, in its April 11, 2024 update, the World Bank noted that Liberia’s medium-term growth prospects are positive on balance — indicating that the Liberian economy is expected to expand by 5.3% in 2024 and an average of 5.9% in 2024–26. While Medium-term growth prospects rely on the maintenance of macroeconomic stability, prudent fiscal consolidation, and implementation of ongoing structural reforms in key enabling sectors, the attraction of adequate and prudent investment would help spur growth and bring about the economic viability Liberians so dearly craved.
Cognizant of this reality, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, since his inauguration, has been working tremendously to put together a team of influential and innovative entrepreneurs, and professional and business experts that will help his government to attract the needed investments to Liberia.
At the top of that list is Mohammed Bah, the Presidential Envoy on Investment. In his role, Bah is to support Liberian businesses to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the country’s global trade agenda and promote Liberia as a destination of choice for investments in various sectors, helping to level up the country.
The youthful envoy has emerged as a symbol of inspiration and success in Liberia. Born into a challenging environment during Liberia’s Civil War, Bah faced adversity early in life. Eleven years before his birth, Bah’s father worked as the personal tailor to deceased President Willian R. Tolbert, but President Tolbert’s assassination, and later the civil war interrupted his father’s economic status and proximity to power.
Like many families after the Civil War, his parents lost everything, including their home, and were forced to restart their lives living in a teashop.
Despite his family’s loss of wealth and stability, his determination to succeed led him to start his own business at the young age of 14 as a street peddler in Monrovia — beginning a remarkable journey from a street candy seller to a prominent business figure.
“I had to move out to start something for myself. It was risky but as the first boy child, I had to do it because I felt the pressure,” he said. “We were squeezed into a small place, and I thought to help, even though I was still a child.”
He felt it compelling to do so, Bah said, as the Muslim tradition places more weight on the first boy to succeed. He persevered through challenges, including funding his own education through street sales and eventually graduating from the Worldwide Mission School System.
“The business helped me. As I was selling, I was managing the profits and buying more goods to sell. It worked out for me because it helped me to complete my secondary education,” he tells the Daily Observer in an interview.
Bah’s dream to travel the world led him on a journey to North Africa and Europe, though he had to return home due to overwhelming obstacles.
“I had no clue how dangerous it was to use the Mediterranean Sea to travel to Europe,” he reveals. “When I arrived in North Africa, everything looked dangerous. I couldn’t stay there. It was dangerous to cross the sea into Europe. People were doing it daily, but I was afraid to make a try, and I was also afraid to stay there illegally. The only option I had was to return home.”
Bah returned home with nothing but a bleak dream of becoming a wealthy businessman with travel experiences.
However, a pivotal moment came when he took a risk in a car deal with a friend, kick-starting his entrepreneurial journey.
“I didn’t have a car to sell, but I confidently told my friend that I was going to get him one to buy,” Bah says. “Without knowing anyone, I walked through the streets of Monrovia to talk with car dealers in the different used-car garages. I found a car for a reasonable price and took my friend there. He bought the car, and it was good.”
From that deal, Bah earned US$500 and was recommended to negotiate another car deal, earning for himself an additional US$500. It was through this and subsequent deals that he raised money to open a dealership.
He later founded a rock-crushing Plant Company. He also started purchasing and renting heavy-duty construction and earthmoving machines.
“I was happy with the progress, but I wasn’t complacent because I always wanted different challenges. While working as a car dealer, I was working on other business plans. After four successful years, it was time to move on to a new adventure,” he says.
His early struggles and determination led him to establish other successful businesses, including Zircon, an industrial engineering company, and the TIMO Group of Companies, which deals in cars and others.
It is worth noting that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s confidence in Bah’s entrepreneurial skills and vision for economic growth culminated in his appointment to spearhead the President’s investment agenda. Bah’s appointment not only serves as a personal achievement but also as a beacon of hope for Liberia’s youth. Despite facing challenges and setbacks, Bah remained focused on his goals and continued to strive for success.
His journey from selling sweets on the streets to becoming a successful business tycoon showcases his determination and resilience. Bah’s achievements, including winning bids for significant projects such as the light installation on SKD Boulevard, highlight his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to turn dreams into reality.
As Bah embarks on his new role as the Presidential Envoy on Investment, he acknowledges the responsibility that comes with his new role but is determined to make a positive impact and honor the trust placed in him by the president. “We too have to prove that young people can make a difference and this is the mindset that is driving us. We have to make this a reality,” he said.
Bah’s story is not just one of personal triumph but also a testament to the power of perseverance and the potential for transformative change through entrepreneurship.
Source: Liberianobserver
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