Weah orders tariffs reduction

President George Manneh Weah has directed the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to present a new schedule to ensure immediate tariff reduction on wide range of basic commodities imported into the country.

An Executive Mansion release issued in Monrovia Thursday, 24 May says President Weah has observed that the current tariff regime adversely affects the Liberian people, especially the poor.

The tariffs regime here include the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) which the President says is causing a serious hike in the cost of basic commodities in the country, thus adversely affecting the Liberian people, especially the poor.

The President deems this as unacceptable and further expressed that it contravenes the premise of the pro-poor agenda, the Mansion says.Mr. Weah asserts that he will leave no stone unturned in making sure that basic goods are made affordable and that the public is not strangulated by unreasonable high tariffs.

The current tariff regime which was implemented during the final days of the past administration has increased tariffs, in some cases to as high as 40 percent, the Mansion adds. Mr. Weah has therefore mandated LRA Commissioner General to report on his directive within 72 hours.–Press release