MONROVIA, October 1(LINA) - The Liberian Senate has endorsed a US$11million agreement signed between the Government of Liberia and the Liberia Cocoa Corporation (LCC).
According to the plenary, its decision to approve the agreement is in line with the government’s effort to encourage Liberians to invest in the economy, as the LCC is a solely Liberian-owned cocoa company providing technical assistance to Liberian farmers.
The Senate plenary made the pronouncement following the reading of a report from the Committees on Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, during its regular session at the Capitol Building on Tuesday.
The committee’s report, among other things, opted for the ratification of the agreement based on testimonies from ministries and agencies of government involved with the sector.
Speaking further on the committee’s recommendations, Senator Henry Yallah of Bong County indicated that the company is doing a pilot project in Lofa County where it intends to produce cocoa, variety of food supplements and products.
“With this company, there will be no exportation of raw materials, but rather finished food products,” he stressed.
In July 2014, the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf submitted to the Senate for ratification an agreement signed between the government and the LCC.
The Senate plenary had mandated its Committees on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to review said documents and appropriately advise the body.
LINAWTD/TSS/PTK