Monrovia — The Acting Director General of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA), Dan Torkamawon Saryee Sr., has strongly dismissed media reports suggesting the institution is facing a credibility crisis in the wake of Director General Christopher D. Sankolo's suspension.
Saryee described the claims "far from the truth" and accused unnamed individuals of attempting to tarnish the image of the Interim Management Team through deliberate misinformation.
It can be recalled that in June 2025, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai suspended LACRA's Director General Christopher D. Sankolo and his Deputy for Administration and Finance, Chea B. Garley, over allegations of financial and administrative misconduct. The suspensions remain in effect pending investigations by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and an audit by the General Auditing Commission (GAC).
'No Credibility Crisis'
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
According to Saryee, while the institution has faced challenges, the current leadership is actively working to reform internal systems, enhance accountability, and restore public trust.
"We are here to establish a foundation and a system that improves accountability and transparency," Saryee said. "And in just one month, we have achieved significant milestones, including reclaiming properties previously given to LPMC in the 1970s."
He said the new management has prioritized community engagement and respectful negotiation tactics, particularly in Bong County, where efforts are underway to revive cocoa and coffee processing facilities that are expected to create employment opportunities for farmers.
Allegations of Smuggling, Revenue Leakage Dismissed
Saryee dismissed as false and misleading the claim that at least US$56,000 in royalty payments collected from exporters was diverted following the collapse of a documentation system post-Sankolo.
The report alleged that cocoa exporters were no longer required to submit full documentation, but only Equipment Interchange Receipts (EIRs) from APM Terminals--lacking commodity details or proof of royalty payments. It further claimed that exporters were making direct payments to a third party, identified only as Gongolee.
But Saryee countered that the report failed to reflect a balanced perspective, particularly as it omitted his response.
"We inherited certain lapses, but we immediately moved to address them. For the first time, we held meetings with APM Terminals and GMTS Terminal--the key gatekeepers at the Freeport--and introduced a unified compliance form for all exporters," he explained.
He said the new system was developed with input from all departments and is now being enforced to ensure transparency in all export-related activities.
'Inherited Rot' Under Sankolo
In a pointed revelation, Saryee accused suspended DG Sankolo of operating a parallel system where agents allegedly paid registration fees directly to staff instead of LACRA's official accounts.
He presented a complaint from an agent who reportedly paid fees in June 2025 that were never deposited. Investigations revealed that the payment was collected by the suspended DG's Special Assistant, who admitted using the funds for personal purposes on Sankolo's authorization.
"We are currently investigating whether this was a pattern. This is the magnitude of what we inherited," Saryee said. "Yet, while we are working to clean up the mess, others are outside using reputable media institutions to shift the blame and distract from their own actions."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He said the institution's Human Resource office has been consulted for guidance on disciplinary action, and more revelations could emerge as internal probes continue.
Open Challenge
In a defiant tone, the Acting Director General issued an open challenge to those accusing the current leadership of wrongdoing:
"We invite these actors to prove us wrong. This issue has been exhaustively investigated, and the Special Assistant in question admitted he was authorized to take the money."
Saryee concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Interim Management Team to reforming LACRA and restoring institutional credibility.
"We will not allow distractions to derail our efforts. The story reported is far from the truth--and we have the facts to prove it," he emphasized.
