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The Government of Liberia has announced tax waiver and tax free on all furniture in Liberia for one year. Liberia’s Finance and Economic Planning Minister Amara Konneh said government’s action is to enable carpenters in furniture business to register their various businesses with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Minister Konneh said the one-year tax free and tax waiver will strengthen furniture producers to have additional time to do their business registration with government.

Speaking to cross section of carpenters under the umbrella organization Liberia Furniture and Carpentry Development Association (LFCDA) during a visit to furniture shops in Topoe Village, the Finance Minister disclosed that government wants to include Carpentry in the Liberian economy to also generate funds. He said government has realized that Liberia’s furniture have a major role to play in the growth and development of the country.

He  said as of July this year, which begins the next budgetary year, 25% of government’s furniture will come from home-made products, adding the exercise is intended to give value to Liberian-produced furniture. The Finance boss urged local carpenters to produce quality furniture that will be able to supply Liberia and West Africa at large.

“We want you to produce furniture that will be able to supply West Africa; we waive the taxes and declare one year tax free on your furniture because we want you improve in the quality of the product and go to commerce and register your business; we will make sure that government buys Liberian-made furniture,” Minister Konneh told a group of carpenters.

He said plans are underway for the government to modernize the production of furniture by constructing a modern warehouse to keep locally produced furniture for exhibition.

The President of the Liberia Furniture and Carpentry Development Association (LFCDA), Faliku Sarnor, has called for capacity building for Liberian carpenters. Sarnor said they are in full readiness to take over the country and supply every household with Liberia produced furniture.

He said it is about time that government gives contracts to Liberian carpenters, adding, “We want all carpenters in Liberia to be in one place and not to spread all around the city as it is now”, he concluded. Over the years, the Government of Liberia has imported furniture from abroad for public offices, ignoring home-made furniture.