The Inquirer (Monrovia)
13 March 2008
From all indications, it appears that something terrible is going wrong in order to besmear the hard earned reputation of the Management of Fouta Corporation, a local rice importer.
Late yesterday afternoon this paper received a tip-off from a source indicating that the Ministry of Commerce had arrested a truck-load of rice from the Fouta Corporation warehouse at the Freeport of Monrovia en route to one of the company's warehouses on Bushrod Island at which time our reporter immediately went to the Ministry of Commerce to ascertain the alleged information.
Addressing himself to the Fouta Corporation allegation, the head of the Press and Public affairs section, Mr. Steve Flan Paye said that it was a slight mistake that occurred which prompted the Ministry to dispatch some of their field supervisors to the scene to authenticate the truth of the matter.
However, he told The Inquirer that after a follow-up by the Ministry it was discovered that Fouta was transferring a consignment of truck-load of rice from the Port to their local deport contrary to the previous information.
The Commerce Ministry Director for Press admitted that it was an error but, could not say or confirm the allegation.
Our reporter, who was not satisfied with Mr. Paye's response then decided to proceed to the Company's head office where the President of the Company, Mr. Mohammed B. Sow was just about to take an array of journalists on a conducted tour to inspect all of its twelve warehouses at the Freeport of Monrovia in a bid to see for themselves stockpiles of rice reserved for the local market.
During the tour, it was discovered that several employees and casual workers were busy sorting out several bags of rice to be put on waiting trucks for customer's services.
While at the warehouses there were no signs that something fishy was taking place.
Some Liberia Seaport Police (LSP) who were patrolling the vicinity were asked by several curious journalists to verify the information as to whether the alleged truck with the consignment of rice was arrested but the officers said the news was strange to them.
Meanwhile, the President of the Fouta Corporation says he will not operate in the form that would bring disrepute to him and his staff.
In a related development, a senior official at the Ministry of Commerce has hinted this paper that the ministry has ratified all the errors that prompted the latest speculations and has no problem with the operations of FOUTA.
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