By Bill W. Cooper
Commerce Minister, Amin Modad, is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry over allegations of the skyrocketing price of rice across the country.
The plenary’s decision was triggered as a result of a concern raised by Gbarpolu County Senator, Botoe Kanneh, on the ineffective reduction of rice price by Minister Modad.
On February 16, 2024, Minister Modad announced a minimum reduction in the price of a 25kg bag of rice, effective yesterday, February 19, 2024, amidst global economic shifts, intended to bring relief to consumers.
During a press conference over the weekend, Modad disclosed that the current stock will be reduced from US$17 to US$16.75, but that has not been the case as the price of rice is said to be increasing by the day.
Flagging the issue during yesterday’s sitting, Sen. Kanneh told her colleagues that the price of rice has increased drastically, especially in her county, and that a bag of 25kg rice is now being sold for L$4,000.
She said, “Colleagues, last week, the Commerce Minister made a decrease in the price of rice, but as we speak, the price of rice has gone up more than ever before.”
“As we speak, the rice is now sold for L$4,000 or US$21. So, I want the commerce minister to be cited here to give us details regarding his decision, and why the price of rice is still at this level after the reduction,” she said.
According to the Senator, her quest for the body to cite the Minister is in keeping with their oversight responsibility to avoid skyrocketing of the price by unscrupulous individuals at the detriment of the citizens.
Buttressing his colleague, Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillon, stressed that the citing of Minister Modad should not be taken lightly, as the issue being raised is concerning and very crucial.
“Because the first move made by this government, which in our views is laudable, is the step taken towards our staple food, ‘rice’, to reduce its price by US$0.25, but it is now turning to be the worst.
And if we don’t act now as a Senate, the public will come asking us the Senators as to what we know about the price of rice and the decision that we took to address the situation,” Dillon added.
Meanwhile, following the deliberations, the Senate, through a motion from Maryland County Senator, Gbleh-bo Brown, mandated the Senate Committee on Commerce and Industry to look into the matter and report next Tuesday.
