Monrovia – The Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) is facing credibility crisis amid allegations of revenue diversion, following the suspension of its Director General, Christopher D. Sankolo by President Joseph Boakai.
By Selma Lomax,[email protected]
Despite multiple inquiries from FrontPage Africa, both the interim leadership and senior officials have remained silent on claims that tens of thousands of United States dollars in cocoa export royalties have reportedly disappeared from the agency’s official accounts.
Sankolo, who was appointed to head LACRA with a mandate to combat corruption and smuggling in the agricultural export sector, instituted a strict, traceable system to manage cocoa and coffee exports through the Freeport of Monrovia.
Under his administration, exporters were required to submit detailed applications indicating the volume, grade, shipment destination, and date of export. These applications had to be accompanied by verified bank deposit slips and official LACRA receipts before approval.
Once applications were approved, corresponding documentation was shared with the Division of Operations and Technical Services, led by Deputy Director Godia Alpha Kortu Gongolee. The division then conducted sampling and laboratory testing to ensure product quality and traceability. Taskforce inspectors were stationed at the Freeport to verify paperwork and ensure that only authorized shipments were exported. Containers lacking proper documentation were seized and handed over to the Liberia National Police for further investigation.
This system, however, has reportedly collapsed since Sankolo’s suspension in June 2025. According to internal sources, interim Director General Dans Saryee reportedly transferred complete control of cocoa exports to Gongolee.
Exporters are reportedly no longer required to submit full documentation; instead, they now present only Equipment Interchange Receipts (EIR) from APM Terminals, which do not contain critical export details such as commodity type, quantity, or proof of royalty payment.
The shift in procedures has removed key layers of transparency and accountability. Inspectors claim they are unable to confirm whether exporters have paid mandatory royalties or even to verify what is being shipped. As a result, smuggling has reportedly surged, and internal sources say the system is now operated as a “one-man show,” with Gongolee said to be wielding unchecked control.
A striking example of the breakdown occurred on July 6, 2025, when WR Carpenters Trading attempted to export two 40-foot containers of cocoa without the required documentation.
The Taskforce, still operating under the previously established rules, impounded the shipment. Eyewitnesses say Gongolee abruptly left a church service around 1:00 p.m. to personally intervene. When the Taskforce inspectors refused to release the containers — citing regulations that such authority lies only with the Director General—a heated exchange ensued. The following day, LACRA issued a public statement condemning the Taskforce for “embarrassing exporters,” a message that insiders interpreted as a warning against enforcing internal rules.
Perhaps more troubling are reports that since Sankolo’s suspension, royalty payments into LACRA’s official accounts have reportedly dropped drastically — even though July marks the peak of cocoa export season.
According to multiple agency insiders, exporters are now allegedly making direct payments to Gongolee. Staffers within the Finance Department claim that at least US$56,000 in royalty fees collected over the last month reportedly never reached the institution’s accounts. These financial discrepancies have generated concerns of systemic revenue diversion.
Repeated attempts by FrontPage Africa to obtain comments from both interim Director General Dans Saryee and Deputy Director Gongolee were unsuccessful. Both officials declined to speak on the matter.
Insiders allege that Sankolo’s suspension was politically motivated and orchestrated by influential figures, including Samuel A. Stevquaoh, Deputy Minister of State Without Portfolio for Special Services and Morie Yaude Nemah, Executive Assistant to the President and with the reported backing of Mamaka Bility, Acting Minister of State for Presidential Affairs.
These individuals are alleged to have played a role in securing Gongolee’s current control over the export process. Sources also claim that revenues from diverted funds are being funneled into real estate projects jointly owned by Stevquaoh and Nemah.
Further weakening oversight, the interim leadership has reportedly decided not to renew the contracts of seven Taskforce inspectors deployed under Sankolo in March 2025. These inspectors, whose contracts expire in August, were central to preventing unauthorized cocoa exports. Their removal, staff members say, is a calculated move to eliminate internal resistance to smuggling and maintain unchallenged control over cocoa shipments.
Documents reviewed by FrontPage Africa show that in March, the Taskforce had successfully intercepted multiple attempts at illegal exports. On March 12, two trucks were seized at the Freeport for lacking all required documentation. When Gongolee failed to have them released through official means, his Special Assistant, Edward Jusu Soko, reportedly instructed junior finance staffer Ama Y. Gwaikolo—who lacked authorization—to issue documents for the smugglers, bypassing the Comptroller and other financial officers.
Just days later, on March 16, another group of trucks attempted to exit the Freeport without inspection, but were intercepted by the Taskforce. The same exporters later applied to ship 1,250 metric tons of cocoa, which authorities believe would have been smuggled if the Taskforce had not intervened.
The alleged mismanagement and diversion of public funds have triggered warnings from agriculture stakeholders and transparency advocates. They argue that the dismantling of oversight mechanisms threatens not only government revenue but also Liberia’s credibility as a legitimate exporter of agricultural commodities.
With neither Saryee nor Gongolee providing explanations for the financial irregularities or addressing concerns over the collapse of regulatory oversight, calls are mounting for an independent investigation into the agency’s operations. Stakeholders are urging President Joseph Boakai’s administration to act swiftly to restore transparency and safeguard Liberia’s agricultural sector from further reputational and financial damage.
