Published: August 7, 2026
MONROVIA – Grand Bassa County District #4 Representative Alfred Flomo says inadequate access to education has prevented many residents from securing jobs at the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC), forcing many young people to turn to politics as a means of survival.
Speaking Thursday, Aug. 6, on OK FM’s Morning Rush program, Flomo said although LAC—one of Liberia’s largest rubber plantations—has operated in the district since 1959, local residents have largely been left behind because they lack the educational qualifications needed to compete for available positions.
“The second largest rubber plantation was established in our district in 1959, but most of the employment that is done in LAC, other people from other counties benefit hugely because they get their education. But our citizens have not been able to get that opportunity because they are not educated, especially the young people,” Flomo said.
The lawmaker argued that the education gap has created broader social and political challenges, with many young people seeing politics as their only pathway to economic survival instead of pursuing professional careers.
“And that’s what made politics huge in our district. Most of them are not educated. Everybody graduates from high school and feels like the way to survive is to engage in politics,” he stated.
Flomo said his office is working to change that reality by expanding access to higher education, particularly in agriculture, which he believes offers the greatest opportunity for sustainable employment in the district.
He disclosed that one of his campaign commitments was to partner with Grand Bassa University to establish an extension of the institution’s College of Agriculture in the district.
“Now we’re changing the narrative. We told them during the campaign that we’re working with Grand Bassa University so we can have the university’s College of Agriculture extension,” he said.
The representative expressed confidence that expanding agricultural education will equip young people with practical skills, improve their competitiveness in the labor market and enable more residents to benefit from employment opportunities at LAC and other agricultural enterprises operating in the district.
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