Claim: “Rice is being sold for $3,600 LD with the exchange rate at 200.”
Source: social media user identified as Lisa Pa (Boye Kokoi), a former employee of Monrovia City Corporations
Verdict: Partly true; the price of rice is sold for L$3,600 in some parts of Liberia, particularly remote areas, but the exchange rate is not US$200.
Full Text: A social media user identified as "Lisa Pa," full name Boye Kokoi, posted on January 27, 2025, when President Joseph Boakai addressed the Legislature and the Liberian people, claiming that a 25-kg bag of rice costs $ 3,600 LD with an exchange rate of $200 under the Boakai administration.
A social media user identified as “Lisa Pa," full name Boye Kokoi, posted on January 27, 2025, when President Joseph Boakai addressed the Legislature and the Liberian people with a claim that a 25-kg bag of rice was being sold for $ 3,600 LD with an exchange rate of 200 under the Boakai administration.
However, Kokoi was not definite about a specific location where rice is being sold for that amount or the increase in the exchange rate. As of the time TSM checked, the post generated 55 reactions, 27 comments, and 0 shares.
Verification: To verify this claim, we spoke with several citizens across Montserrado, Nimba, Bong, Margibi, and Grand Bassa counties.
In Bong County, we Spoke with Andrew Mulbah, an agriculturalist, who told us that the Price of Rice is sold at L$3,400 and the exchange rate is placed at 188-190 USD
In Lofa County, we Spoke with TSM fellow Fatorma Dunor, who said rice is Sold at L$3,750, an exchange rate of $190
We also spoke with our Margibi County Fellow, Patrick Moryor, who said a 25-kg bag of rice is sold at LD$3150, and the exchange rate is US$197 and $198 in Margibi.
TSM fellow in Nimba County, Uriah Suah, also told us that Rice is sold at L$3,550 while the exchange rate is at USD 195
Conclusion: Based on our research, TSM concludes that the price of rice across the country is sold between L$3,150 and L$3,750, and the exchange rate has not reached 200 as claimed by Boye Kokoi.
