By Fanta L. Keita
MONROVIA, June 9 (LINA) – The Board of Directors of the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) has clarified that the suspension of its Deputy Director General for Operations and Technical Services, Alpha Gongolee, remains in full effect.
The clarification comes in response to misleading social media videos and publications falsely suggesting that Mr. Gongolee has been cleared of all administrative allegations and subsequently reinstated, said a LACRA release dated Sunday, May 31, 2026.
The statement maintained that LACRA places on record that the Board’s decision to suspend DDG Gongolee was instituted following serious allegations that he authorized Zeno Company to export cocoa without adhering to LACRA’s established regulatory protocols.
“This unauthorized action deliberately bypassed the institution’s chain of command and violated official shipping procedures,” it added.
Meanwhile, the statement added that the board has emphasized that the matter relating to the suspension does not stem solely from the incident involving Zeno Company.
Rather, it noted that it follows a pattern of repeated allegations concerning Mr. Gongolee’s unauthorized issuance of export permits to unscrupulous businessmen /exporters, allowing them to ship cocoa in complete violation of LACRA’s regulatory framework.
Regarding the specific investigation into the Zeno Company incident, the LACRA Board of Directors formally requested the Liberia National Police (LNP) to conduct an inquiry and submit its official findings directly to the Board for administrative review.
The release disclosed that the Board notes with concern that standard administrative and investigative protocols were bypassed. Instead of submitting the final report directly to the convening authority (the Board), the findings were inappropriately released to the subject of the investigation, who subsequently disseminated them across social media platforms.
Consequently, LACRA established the following positions: Procedural Non-Compliance: LACRA cannot validate or recognize any reported findings circulating in the public domain, as the official reporting channel to the Board was breached.
Status Unchanged: The statement continued that as far as the Board of Directors is concerned, no official investigative report has been formally received. Therefore, Mr. Gongolee remains suspended indefinitely for collusion and procedural violations.
As a statutory government entity, LACRA maintained that its internal administrative actions are lawful, procedural, and must be respected.
“The Authority will not be swayed by social media misinformation, external interference, or attempts to undermine its regulatory mandate. The Board assures the public and international partners that operations at LACRA are proceeding smoothly, securely, and without disruption.
The Authority remains unyielding in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the preservation of Liberia’s agricultural trade integrity.
The public is strongly urged to disregard false reports and rely exclusively on official communications issued directly by the Authority,” it said.