The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has officially launched its Second National Time Release Study (TRS) Report.
By that, the Authority unveiled a series of reforms to reduce cargo clearance delays and improve trade facilitation at the Freeport of Monrovia.
The report was launched on Monday, July 13, at the Liberia Chamber of Commerce.
The launched brought together senior government officials, customs authorities, development partners, and private sector stakeholders committed to strengthen the trading environment.
LRA Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah, described the report as a significant milestone in the efforts to modernize customs administration, improve border management and promote economic growth.
Jallah said the study demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to honestly assess its trade performance, identify operational bottlenecks, and implement practical reforms in collaboration with international partners.
Jallah emphasized the need for the port to handle more than 90 percent of international trade, making efficient cargo clearance essential to national development and economic competitiveness.
The report provides government with an internationally recognized benchmark to guide reforms and fulfill obligations under the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.
According to the report, the second Time Release Study examined 670 import declarations covering the entire cargo clearance process from vessel arrival to the final exit of goods from the Freeport.
Conducted in accordance with the World Customs Organization’s internationally recognized methodology, the study assessed the performance of customs, shipping lines, commercial banks, customs brokers, terminal operators, transporters, and other government agencies involved in trade.
The findings show that the average time required for imported cargo to move from vessel arrival to final exit is 12 days, 19 hours, and 42 minutes.
While customs inspections take less than one hour on average and processing at the port exit gate takes about 34 minutes, the study found that the major delays stem from manual documentation, late submission of shipping manifests, and slow payment confirmation processes between institutions.
Despite the findings, Jallah said, the results should be viewed as a roadmap for improvement rather than a setback.
He said, the country now has credible data to support reforms that will make it trading system faster, more transparent and efficient.
To address the identified challenges, the LRA announced the construction of a modern Destination Inspection Facility at the Freeport of Monrovia to bring Customs and key border agencies under one roof and utilize non-intrusive inspection technology to speed up joint cargo examinations while reducing clearance times.
The upgraded system will also lay the foundation for the establishment of a National Single Window to further streamline trade procedures.
He pledged LRA’s continued monitoring performance through a structured implementation framework to ensure measurable progress.