[Monrovia, Liberia – April 3, 2025] – Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah has dismissed recent allegations made by Senator Nathaniel McGill, accusing the Ministry of mismanaging US$200 million in agricultural funds. He described the allegations as "misleading," providing a thorough explanation of two major projects under the Ministry’s oversight: the STAR Project and the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), both of which are funded by the World Bank and IFAD.
Speaking at a MICAT press briefing on April 3, 2025, Dr. Nuetah stated, “We want to clarify the myth that US$200 million was mismanaged.” He explained that the STAR Project, valued at US$48 million, was funded by the World Bank ($25 million) and IFAD ($23 million). “When COVID-19 happened in 2020, the government, of which Senator McGill was a Minister, reallocated $10.5 million of that money for COVID-19 interventions. That US$10.5 million was not used by the Ministry of Agriculture. Part of it went to the World Food Programme (WFP), and part of it was managed by the then EPA Director and the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene in the sector, leaving the project with $38 million for investment,” the Minister clarified.
Addressing allegations that the current government has been distributing grants to “friends” or individuals in power, Minister Nuetah was firm in his defense. “I want to make it clear that under our leadership, we have not given out a dime. All the disbursements being made now were agreements entered into between 2020 and 2023. We came and saw these contracts already signed.”
On the RETRAP Project, valued at US$170 million, Dr. Nuetah explained that US$30 million was allocated for road construction in Nimba County, specifically for the 40-kilometer road linking Tappitta to Toe Town. However, he noted that the funds for road construction are managed by the Ministry of Public Works, not the Ministry of Agriculture. He further clarified that the remaining US$115 million is being used for road construction projects, including the road from Toe Town to Zwedru, also managed by the Ministry of Public Works under the World Bank financing agreement.
Minister Nuetah also addressed delays in the road construction project linking Liberia to Côte d'Ivoire, explaining that World Bank consultants had identified an elephant footprint in the planned corridor. This discovery led to a two-year study on biodiversity to assess the potential environmental impact on wildlife in the area. Consequently, the US$115 million allocated for this project remains with the World Bank until the study concludes.
In response to concerns about the Ministry’s tricycle program, Dr. Nuetah clarified the purpose and distribution process of the vehicles. He confirmed that the Ministry purchased tricycles in 2022 to assist smallholder farmers with transporting their goods to market. However, beneficiaries were required to make a 40% contribution toward the cost. While some farmers paid their share and received their tricycles, delays occurred due to challenging road conditions during the rainy season. As the dry season began, the Ministry worked to distribute the remaining tricycles, and Dr. Nuetah encouraged anyone who paid but did not receive a tricycle to come forward for resolution.
Minister Nuetah concluded by reaffirming the Ministry of Agriculture’s commitment to transparency and the responsible management of funds. “The STAR Project and RETRAP projects were approved in 2019 and 2021, respectively. All procurement processes, as well as grant management, were handled by independent bodies. The claims being made about mismanagement are just not true,” he emphasized.