By: Julius Konton
The Chief Executive Officer of Purukpeh Agricultural Farm and Processing, and former Director-General of the Liberian Broadcasting System (LBS), Madam Estelle Liberty, has issued a bold warning about the hostile investment climate in Liberia, calling for urgent reforms to unlock the country’s economic potential.
Speaking at the 13th National Convention of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA), Liberty highlighted a string of persistent challenges discouraging both local and foreign investment.
She cited limited access to finance, deteriorating infrastructure, bureaucratic bottlenecks, weak market linkages, and a deepening trust gap between investors, regulators, and entrepreneurs as key barriers to growth.
“These barriers continue to discourage both local and international investors from fully engaging in Liberia’s economic landscape,” she stressed.
Despite Liberia’s abundant opportunities in agriculture, energy, tourism, and manufacturing, Liberty lamented that these sectors often go unnoticed due to poor communication and lack of visibility.
In a powerful critique of the local media, she said Liberia’s media environment remains overly focused on politics, conflict, and corruption, while ignoring stories of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community resilience.
“Without information, investors remain hesitant; without storytelling, communities remain invisible; and without visibility, growth becomes difficult to sustain,” she declared.
Delivering a presentation titled “Harnessing Agriculture for Economic Growth and Development in Liberia: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications,” Liberty called on the Government of Liberia to create a more enabling environment by cutting red tape, enacting pro-business policies, and empowering local entrepreneurs.
She also appealed to development partners and donors to support the capacity-building of Liberian media institutions, enabling them to play a more constructive role in economic literacy, transparency, and nation-building through impactful storytelling.
The ALJA convention, which brought together journalists and media stakeholders from across the diaspora, is being held under the theme: “Private Sector Investment: A Key to Sustainable Economic Growth and Development in Liberia – The Role of the Media.”
