President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has officially commissioned the Liberia Standards Authority (LISA) Quality Laboratory at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Public Works Compound in Monrovia. The event marks what President Boakai described as an important move to strengthen Liberia’s national quality infrastructure and support the country’s economic transformation.
President Boakai said that the LISA Lab will serve as a trusted certification symbol, ensuring that products available in Liberia meet established standards for safety, performance, and quality. He highlighted how essential standards are for economic fairness, public health, and consumer confidence.
“The issue of standards is very practical. Even people in the market are being cheated every day due to hidden inflation and lack of attention to quality and quantity. Standards are very important to industries. They are very important to our economic life,” President Boakai stated.
He explained that establishing the Liberia Standards Authority under the 2022 Act as a semi-autonomous statutory body responsible for standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology represents significant institutional reform aimed at ensuring fair trade practices and protecting consumers.
The President also noted that applying standards consistently would improve Liberia’s competitiveness in both regional and international markets by reducing technical barriers to trade and enabling broader access for Liberian goods. He urged LISA to be vigilant, systematic, and transparent in its work while calling for cooperation among government agencies, private businesses, market operators, and development partners.
President Boakai thanked the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for leading efforts to strengthen national standards. He also acknowledged development partners who have helped modernize laboratories, upgrade facilities, and build technical capacity.
He emphasized that maintaining strong standards aligns with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development by creating systems that protect consumers, encourage investor confidence, and promote responsible business practices.
The President added: “Strong standards are not obstacles to trade but instruments for economic opportunity,” noting they ensure Liberian businesses can compete effectively within ECOWAS and beyond.
The commissioning of the LISA Quality Mark is seen as a step toward greater institutional accountability, improved public health protections, and sustainable economic growth in Liberia.
The Executive Mansion serves as both the official residence and workplace of the President of Liberia in Monrovia. It plays a central role in national leadership by hosting state functions and presidential events while providing public information on governance initiatives through its official website. The Executive Mansion also works to advance transparency by issuing news updates about government activities (source).