Capitol Hill — Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh has proposed a bill seeking to protect the informal economy of the country and enforce 25% Procurement for Liberian Businesses operating in the country during this Third Session of the 55th National Legislature.
Senator Konneh said the bill aims to protect Liberian workers in the informal economy and ensure that Liberian-owned small businesses receive the 25 percent share of public procurement guaranteed to them under existing law.
Speaking during a regular session in the Chambers of the Liberian Senate on Thursday, Senator Konneh emphasized that the livelihoods of market women, petty traders, motorcyclists, block makers, tailors, mechanics, and other informal workers must be placed at the center of national economic policy. "These hardworking Liberians make up nearly 68 percent of our labor force. They are the backbone of our economy, yet they operate without protection, without structure, and without access to the economic space our laws already guarantee them," Senator Konneh stated.
He warned that Liberians are rapidly losing control of sectors explicitly reserved for them under the Liberianization Act, including petty trading, used clothing, small retail, transportation, auto repair, block making, and bakeries.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Informal Economy Development and Protection Act
Senator Konneh pledged that he would introduce a new legislative framework titled: The Informal Economy Development and Protection Act, designed to modernize and enforce the rights of Liberian informal workers. According to him, the proposed Act would recognize the informal economy as a legitimate sector of national importance and enforce the 26 business activities reserved exclusively for Liberians.
Senator Konneh added that it would also establish a unified registration and citizenship verification system and create designated trading zones with sanitation, security, and order.
He maintained that when enacted into law, the proposed Act would organize sector associations and set standards for formalization, protect Liberians from harassment, extortion, and arbitrary confiscation.
He maintained that the proposed Act would coordinate enforcement among Commerce, Immigration, Local Government, and the Police and expand access to microfinance, skills training, and business development support.
"Our people are being pushed out of their own economy because the State has failed to enforce its own laws. This bill will change that," Senator Konneh noted.
Unlocking US$116.8 Million for Liberian Businesses
Senator Konneh also highlighted the long-neglected requirement that 25 percent of all public procurement be awarded to Liberian-owned SMEs in keeping with the Small Business Empowerment Act of Liberia.
He observed that the current FY2026 National Budget includes US$467.3 million in procurementeligible spending. He pointed out that out of the total amount, about US$116.8 million should, by law, go directly to Liberian businesses.
"If we formalize even a fraction of our informal operators, tens of millions of dollars can flow directly into the hands of Liberian market women, petty traders, block makers, tailors, mechanics, and microcontractors," he said. "This is how we turn policy into prosperity and legislation into livelihoods."
A Call for Economic Justice
Speaking further, Senator Konneh pointed out that empowering the informal economy remains essential for peace, stability, and national development.
"If we want peace, we must protect people's livelihoods. If we want growth, we must empower our own citizens. The informal economy is where most Liberians work, and it must be organized, protected, and empowered," he added.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He noted that the United States requires large companies to include small businesses in federal contracts, a policy that delivered US$178.6 billion to small firms in 2023 alone.
"Liberia can do the same. By enforcing our 25 percent SME procurement mandate, we can create thousands of jobs and return economic space to Liberians," he stated
A People's Bill
Senator Konneh, however, announced that he would conduct nationwide consultations to ensure the bill reflects the voices of ordinary Liberians. "Over the next few weeks, I will be engaging yana boys, phenphen riders, and market women to ensure their experiences and ideas directly inform this people's bill," he said.
