President George Manneh Weah has issued Executive Order #93 in a bid to keep the nation’s staple, rice, affordable on the Liberian market. It takes immediate effect
Executive Order No. 93, released Tuesday, October 16, 2018, is an extension of Executive Order No. 87 earlier promulgated by Government to suspend tariff on the nation’s staple in alleviating unnecessary burden on ordinary Liberians.

The issuance of the Executive Order followed an assessment and evaluation by Government to determine the causes of increases in the price of various essential commodities and to initiate measures to ameliorate the situation.

“Now therefore,” the Executive Order asserts, “the Government of Liberia in its desire to continue to bring relief to the public, hereby issue Executive Order No. 93, suspending the import tariff on rice as classified under tariff Nos. 1006.30.00 (in packing of more than 5kg or in bulk); 1006.30.00 (in packing of at least 5kg); and 1006.40.00 (broken rice) under the Revenue Code of Liberia Act 2000 with immediate effect.”

President Weah used the Executive Order to stress the need for exigent measures to ease economic burdens on Liberian citizens and residents, enabling them to access the staple food at all times and with ease.

These measures follow former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Executive Orders Nos. 11, 19, 45, 61, 70, 80 and 87 suspending import tariffs on rice in the interest of the public.