Monrovia – The Nationwide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Fee (NWSHC) is going through mounting backlash after shutting down G-5 Plus Breweries Inc., previously the Coca-Cola Manufacturing facility, in Paynesville — a transfer firm workers and enterprise leaders are calling illegal and extortionist.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
On August 8, 2025, the Fee issued a cease-and-desist order accusing the corporate of blocking inspectors throughout a June 24 compliance verify, failing to current permits and certificates, and refusing to pay a US$3,500 superb.
The order, signed by Govt Director Morris Gono, claims the corporate violated a number of WASH laws, together with inspection entry and certification necessities.
However workers at G-5 Plus Breweries insist the allegations are false.
“We have now been compliant with all legal guidelines and our amenities meet all security and environmental requirements,” a staffer instructed FrontPageAfrica on situation of anonymity. “That is harassment. They hold demanding cash. Now they’ve imposed an unjust superb and wish us to pay earlier than we are able to function. It’s unfair.”
Witnesses say the Fee gave the corporate simply 5 minutes to just accept the shutdown order, though high administration was absent. When low-level workers hesitated, Gono allegedly refused to attend and insisted operations stop instantly.
The shutdown has sparked outrage inside the enterprise neighborhood, with critics accusing the Fee of abusing its authority for monetary achieve.
When contacted, Gono declined to reply questions by way of telephone or WhatsApp, insisting that solely a hardcopy letter of inquiry could be thought-about. “For a greater response signal, stamp and ship this letter to my workplace as a result of the inclusion of bribery and others want a scientific response not particular person,” he stated. After such a letter was delivered, he dismissed it for missing a “legitimate stamp.”
The standoff provides to rising fears amongst Liberian companies over what they see as a harmful precedent — regulatory enforcement getting used as a software for intimidation and extortion relatively than public well being safety.
