NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA, Liberia — Sinoe County Senator Clayton Duncan has sharply criticized Liberia’s economic governance, blaming what he described as “foreign exploiters” and complicit political leaders for the country’s prolonged underdevelopment through unfavorable concession agreements.
Speaking over the weekend at a United Guy’s for Progress event in Caldwell, Senator Duncan argued that Liberia’s economic stagnation should not be attributed solely to domestic corruption, as is often claimed, but largely to exploitative arrangements between the government and multinational corporations.
By Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.
“Foreign exploiters are holding us back,” Duncan declared. “We have misdiagnosed our problem. While corruption is real and damaging, it accounts for only about 20 percent of what ails us.
The remaining 80 percent comes from the failure of our leaders to stand up to multinational corporations that treat Liberia like a colonial outpost.”
The senator cited both recent and historical concession agreements in the mining, rubber, and logging sectors, contending that many were negotiated under unequal terms that overwhelmingly favor foreign investors.
According to him, such agreements frequently grant vast land rights, generous tax exemptions, and environmental concessions, often with little transparency or accountability.
“Liberia is rich in iron ore, rubber, timber, and arable land—yet our roads are crumbling, our hospitals lack medicine, and our schools are in a deplorable state,” Duncan said. “Meanwhile, foreign companies extract billions from our soil and channel the wealth to boardrooms in London, Beijing, and Dubai.”
Senator Duncan also directed strong criticism at fellow government officials, accusing them of silence and complicity. He alleged that many national leaders are afraid to renegotiate or cancel unfavorable contracts due to fears of diplomatic backlash, trade sanctions, or being labeled “anti-business.”
“Fear and greed have paralyzed our leadership,” he said. “Fear of being branded unstable or anti-investment, and greed driven by kickbacks and side deals that enrich a few individuals while the nation continues to suffer.”
The Sinoe County lawmaker called for a comprehensive review of all existing concession agreements, urging greater transparency, public oversight, and the renegotiation of contracts he described as unfair to the Liberian people.
He maintained that without decisive action to reform concession policies and assert national interests, Liberia risks remaining trapped in a cycle of resource exploitation and underdevelopment for years to come.
