MONROVIA – Sinoe County Senator Crayton O. Duncan has issued a reminder to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai about what he calls an “international community conspiracy” that prevents Liberia and other African nations from achieving self-sufficiency in food production.
Senator Duncan’s statement came in response to President Boakai’s recent appeal to the global community for swift action to tackle the growing food insecurity crisis, particularly in Africa. The Liberian leader made the call during his keynote address at the World Food Forum in Rome, Italy, where he urged world leaders and development organizations to shift from discussions to immediate action in combating hunger and malnutrition.
However, Senator Duncan contradicted the president’s plea, stating that the forces hindering Africa’s development are external, originating from the very international community from whom President Boakai is seeking help. “Many times we think that those anti-development forces are internal, but that’s not the case; they are external,” the Senator asserted.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, during the opening of the final sitting of the 1st session of the 55th Legislature, Senator Duncan argued that the international community would never support any African country in becoming self-sufficient in food production, particularly in cultivating staple crops like rice. He suggested that the global market benefits from Africa’s dependency on imported goods, which is why initiatives to produce food locally are undermined.
“The president talked about the agriculture program, but what kind of agriculture program? The international community will never support any African country to plant food that you can consume,” Duncan stressed. He further noted that President Boakai is fully aware of the operations of the international community and should approach the situation with caution.
Duncan highlighted Liberia’s reliance on rice imports, stating that the country spends over US$200 million annually on importing rice. He argued that any effort to boost domestic rice production would challenge this lucrative market, which Liberia currently lacks the capacity to disrupt.
“These are some of the things President Tolbert was addressing with his ‘from mat to mattress’ initiative, and he planned to ban the importation of rice after 1980. People didn’t realize why Tolbert died,” the Senator recalled, urging his fellow lawmakers to recognize the global conspiracy against African self-reliance as a wake-up call.
In light of this, Senator Duncan revealed that he is refocusing his efforts in the Senate on advocating for the Liberianization Policy, which he believes is key to the country’s transformation.
As part of this renewed focus, the Sinoe County lawmaker announced the drafting of a bill called the “National Student Cadet Commission Act.” According to Duncan, the proposed law will provide vacation jobs and financial assistance to Liberian students, particularly those in government schools.
He emphasized that it is time for the Senate to work collectively on implementing national policies that will benefit the country, stressing the importance of immediate action in key areas.
“We must act now to ensure the effective implementation of national policies that truly serve Liberia’s interests,” Senator Duncan said.
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