By Mark Mengonfia, mmenginfia@gmail.com
Liberians still have more time to see any aspect of the government’s promised economic stimulus package come into fruition.
It was expected that Liberians would have started receiving food items from their government beginning May 23, 2020, but the planned distribution has been postponed due to “logistical problem”, Liberia’s Commerce Minister Professor Wilson Tarpeh says.
This is a news that sure to be greeted by serious public disappointment, as the economic woes exacerbated by the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic deepens, amid the Stay Home order with the closure of most businesses and offices.
The food distribution is intended to help citizens of Liberia during this lockdown period and an anticipated total lockdown planned, intended to stop further spread of the Coronavirus in that West African Nation.
Speaking on the private owned Truth FM via mobile on Monday, May 18, 2020, Prof. Tarpeh said that there is an issue with logistics which includes sourcing of funding to perform the task, buying of the food items among others.
It also comes as the COVID-19 death toll rises to 21 and the number of confirmed cases increases
Minister Tarpeh said they targeted two million people for the initial planned discussion but was quick to say that there are indication that the projected number of beneficiaries are going to increase from the 2 million to 3.5 million.
They are sourcing additional funding from partners since they know that there are indication that there is an increment.
Till now, the food distribution committee is yet to get the bags of rice on grounds that the huge amount of the money expected for the process is yet to be secured.
The Liberian Commerce Minister also said that the committee is meeting today (Monday, May 18, 2020) and that there is an expected official press statement to be released after the meeting.
He indicated after all the issues are worked on, a new date will be announced for the distribution.
Prof. Tarpeh furthered that they are working with Civil Society Organizations, UN World Food Program (WFP), Council of Churches, Muslims Council and others are partners to ensure that when are the necessary interventions are finished so the process can get the needed results.
He indicated that WFP and other partners are in the field carrying out mapping of homes.
“It will be Community led. We want citizens to get the impact of the distribution,” Minister Tarpeh stated.
“We want to get public trust which is important,” the Liberian Commerce Minister told the citizens.