Nuetah Fires Back at Kwagrue, Says Rice Procurement Allegation Is ‘One of the Cheapest Things’ He Has Heard

Agriculture Minister Alexander Nuetah has sharply criticized Nimba County District #5 Representative Kortor Kwagrue over allegations of corruption and mismanagement at the Ministry of Agriculture, dismissing the lawmaker’s claims about the ministry’s rice procurement activities as baseless and uninformed.

The dispute follows allegations by Representative Kwagrue that the ministry misused public funds by distributing money to agricultural cooperatives that, according to him, contribute little or nothing to Liberia’s rice market. The lawmaker also questioned the ministry’s livestock initiative, raising concerns about the cost and quality of cattle reportedly purchased under the program.

Kwagrue alleged that although the government had announced plans to purchase 200 cows, the ministry instead brought in older cattle reportedly costing US$1,000 each. He claimed the animals could not produce calves twice, questioning whether the initiative would deliver the intended benefits to Liberian farmers.

Responding to the allegations, Minister Nuetah did not hold back in his criticism of the lawmaker, describing his remarks about the ministry buying and bagging rice as one of the cheapest statements he had heard. “For a lawmaker to say that the Ministry of Agriculture is buying rice and bagging it is one of the cheapest things I have ever heard,” Nuetah said.

The agriculture minister further described Kwagrue’s comments as laughable, arguing that the lawmaker should have sought clarification before making public accusations about the ministry’s operations. Nuetah said he did not expect someone serving as a representative of the people to make such remarks without first understanding how the ministry’s programs were being implemented.

On the issue of rice production, Nuetah disclosed that the ministry is working with five major cooperatives in the country. He named Foya Queen, I Love Liberian Rice and Bandi Rice among the cooperatives involved, while maintaining that Kwagrue’s criticism did not reflect the details of the ministry’s work with agricultural groups.

Nuetah also challenged the lawmaker’s understanding of fertilizer prices, accusing him of misleading the public with what he described as an inaccurate figure. “It is laughable because the representative does not even know the price of fertilizer,” the minister argued, criticizing Kwagrue for making claims without what he considered adequate information about the agricultural sector.

The exchange has intensified scrutiny of the Ministry of Agriculture’s spending, its support for rice-producing cooperatives and its livestock procurement program. While Nuetah has rejected the lawmaker’s criticism, the specific allegations concerning public funds, cooperative support and the cost and productivity of the cattle remain issues requiring detailed explanations from the ministry.