By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia — The Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL), along with other leading business associations, has publicly distanced itself from any planned protest against the Government of Liberia, warning the public against what it described as misinformation circulating on both social and traditional media.
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, Dominic Nimely National Chairman of PATEL and Chair on Trade and Commerce of the Liberia Business Association Council, clarified that a former official of the organization has no authority to speak or act on behalf of PATEL. According to him, the individual recently changed the name of an announced protest movement after realizing he was wrongly using PATEL’s identity.
“PATEL is not part of any protest, past, present, or planned,” Dominic stressed. “Anything being organized in that direction is not sanctioned by us and does not represent the private sector,” he said
In addition, the business leader used the occasion to sharply criticize Liberia’s two major GSM providers—Orange Liberia and Lonestar Cell MTN, over what he described as persistently poor network and internet services despite high tariffs.
He said Liberians continue to pay some of the highest communication costs in the region while receiving substandard services, citing frequent dropped calls, delayed connections, and unreliable internet access, even within central Monrovia.
“Liberia cannot be paying more than neighboring countries and still suffer the worst services,” he said,
However, he is calling on the government to immediately convene talks involving regulators, telecom companies, and business representatives to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, Dominic warned that frustration within the private sector is growing and urged telecom operators to upgrade their infrastructure to modern standards already in use elsewhere across Africa.
PATEL Chairman Dominic Nimely also raised another major concern raised was the weak enforcement of Liberia’s Liberianization Policy. Dominic argued that several sectors reserved exclusively for Liberians are increasingly dominated by foreign businesses, leaving local entrepreneurs unable to compete fairly.
He alleged that some foreign-owned businesses are accessing local bank loans intended for Liberians while simultaneously engaging in wholesale, retail, and supply activities prohibited under the policy.
“We want investment, not displacement,” he said. “Investors should bring capital into Liberia, not take loans intended for Liberians and push local businesses out of the market.”
He called on the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to strictly enforce existing laws to ensure that Liberian-owned enterprises are protected and allowed to grow.
Despite the concerns raised, the PATEL chairman acknowledged positive steps taken by the current administration. These include placing private sector institutions into the national budget for the first time, issuing service passports to qualified business leaders, and sponsoring private sector participation in international conferences.
He also praised Vice President Jeremiah Koung for engaging foreign businesses directly and insisting on respect for Liberia’s investment and trade laws.
“When government does good, we must say it,” Dominic noted. “But we also expect more, because Liberian businesses are the backbone of this economy.”
At the same time, Dominic concluded with an appeal to President Joseph N. Boakai to engage the business community directly, emphasizing that dialogue, not protest remains the preferred path to resolving challenges facing the private sector.
“We love this country and believe in this government,” he said. “Liberian businesses want a seat at the table to build Liberia for Liberians.”
The business community reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful engagement and national development, while urging decisive action on telecommunications reform and stronger economic protection for local entrepreneurs.
