The Acting Director General of the Liberia Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Agency (LACRA), Dan T. Saryee, has strongly rejected allegations surrounding the misappropriation of US$56,000, calling the claims a distraction from ongoing reform efforts at the agency.
Addressing journalists on Monday, August 4, Mr. Saryee described the accusation as a smear campaign orchestrated by unnamed individuals seeking to derail his leadership just weeks after assuming office.
“This is an attempt by hidden hands that have decided to fight back,” he said during a press conference held at LACRA’s headquarters inside the Freeport of Monrovia.
Mr. Saryee, who was appointed by President Joseph Boakai following the suspension of former Director General Christopher D. Sankolo, firmly stated that such an amount could not have been misapplied under his short tenure.
Instead, he accused the former leadership of waging a proxy war through the media to cover their own misdeeds.
“This management team is here to perform the dream of the President. In the last month, we have fought to regain our property in Bong; we have adopted strategic approaches, and we have been able to secure those properties, negotiating with community people.
Today, the LPMC compound in Bong is fully under our control,” he said.
The Bong County facility in question includes more than 130 acres of palm plantation and fishponds.
Saryee also revealed plans to renovate facilities in Lofa and Grand Gedeh counties as part of his vision for rebuilding the agency’s national footprint.
During a recent three-day tour of Bong and Nimba Counties, the acting head of LACRA met with local farmers, buyers, and partners such as Global Tracking Maritimes (GTM) and APM Terminals.
Discussions centered on new compliance frameworks aimed at eliminating inefficiencies in shipping processes and ensuring transparent documentation and information flow.
Mr. Saryee went further to unveil documents implicating the former administration in questionable financial practices. He cited a specific case where Mr. Sankolo’s Special Assistant, B.
Wesseh Zoryu, reportedly received a US$300 agent fee from a local company, Aya Group Incorporated, on July 9, 2025—an act he said was outside standard procedure.
“The former DG’s special assistant said he was authorized; this is the rot that we are trying to fix,” Saryee said.
He also alleged that his current Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services, Gonda Alpha Kortu Gongolee, had been involved in the previous regime’s questionable financial practices. However, Gongolee has denied all involvement, stating: “This is not true. We have no idea of receiving money; we are to regulate and not to receive. I challenge anybody.”
Mr. Saryee ended with a sharp rebuke of those he believes are resisting change within the agency. “We got nothing to do but to present the truth,” he said. “Detractors will fade away; liars never thrive.”
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