Bility Criticizes Govt. Price Controls -Alleges Extortion by Committee

MONROVIA – Nimba County District #8 Representative Musa Hassan Bility has sharply criticized President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s government over its policy of controlling the prices of goods and services.

In his regular “Letter from Saclepea” column released from Saclepea under the headline “Price Controls and the Danger of Extortion Masquerading as Policy,” Bility said that while the initiative began as a government effort to stabilize prices, it has “degenerated into a small gang of extortionists” targeting traders, importers and entrepreneurs.

“There are moments in the life of a nation when leadership must look beyond the applause of temporary relief and ask whether the path chosen strengthens or weakens the foundation of our Republic. Today, I must speak plainly: your government’s attempt to control prices of goods and services is not only misguided but has been hijacked by the very committee you appointed, headed by the Vice President, into a racket of extortion,” Representative Bility stated unequivocally.

Bility also claimed the Jeremiah Kpan Koung committee has become a “cartel” and called for its disbandment. “If government is to have moral authority, it cannot be seen extorting its own citizens under the cover of policy,” he stated.

According to the lawmaker, businesses are being pressured to “settle” committee operatives before their goods are allowed to move freely. He alleged that this amounts to “state-sponsored shakedown,” undermining the president’s authority and the credibility of the government.

“No economy in history has ever prospered by controlling prices through decree,” Bility wrote, warning that artificial price ceilings can lead to shortages, black markets and reduced supply. He argued that Liberia is already experiencing these effects, compounded by alleged corruption within the price-control committee.

The representative urged the Boakai administration to shift from price controls to policies that expand production, encourage competition and reduce the cost of doing business, including investment in agriculture, energy and infrastructure.

“This is a moment for courage,” Bility said. “The harder, nobler road is to admit that this experiment has failed, to disband the gang of extortionists, and to pivot toward sound microeconomic policies that truly empower our people.”

Continuing, Bility said the Presidency controlling prices outside of market forces presents a two-fold danger. “Economically, we are strangling productivity. Politically, we are breeding resentment and lawlessness at the heart of the state. A committee led by the Vice President should never become a cartel. If government is to have moral authority, it cannot be seen extorting its own citizens under the cover of policy.

“Liberia needs real solutions, not populist shortcuts. We need policies that expand production, encourage competition, and reduce the cost of doing business. We need investment in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure so that supply rises and prices naturally fall. We need transparency and fairness, not backdoor collections by government’s own appointees,” Bility cautioned.

There was no immediate reaction from the Executive Mansion or the Office of the Vice President to Bility’s allegations.