Liberia: Hike in Transport Fares Upsets Lumber Trade
James Bartoe was amongst hundreds of employees that were downsided by the United Nations peacekeeping missions in 2008. He immediately sought to venture into the timber (plank) business.
At first, he said business was good, but it all turned sour for the 49 year old man when the government of Liberia increased the prices of gasoline last year.
“This is my sixteenth year selling planks,” Bartoe said. “But transportation has gone up. We are now paying L$500.00 to L$600.00 just for one piece of plank." Prior to the hike in transportation fares, Bartoe and his colleagues used to pay L$250.00 from Grand Bassa and other Counties.
The hike in transportation fares has been having adverse effects on many business people across the country, but those in the lumber industry (plank sellers) appear to be the most affected, Bartoe and other dealers told the Daily Observer.
"I have been into the plank business since 2006. I worked with the United Nations when they downsided us in 2008. My friend told me we should do tire business, but I said no, I want to do plank business,” Bartoe said.
Like Bartoe, most lumber traders in Monrovia would send their money to people in the counties, where the timbers are felled, processed and then sent to Monrovia.
“The transport fare is too high. Imagine, we pay L$500 or L$600 for one piece of plank to Monrovia, and we pay L$100 for one piece of plank to agents of the Forestry Development Authority at the checkpoints, and when we bring we have to sawmill it,” said Moses Yahkpah, another plank dealer.
This was a normal amount, according to him. The wood was sold at L$400, transported at L$200 and L$45 to FDA agents, while they sold at L$800.
“The truck drivers are complaining that gasoline prices have gone up, and those felling the trees have also increased their prices. Read More…
