By Leroy M. Sonpon, III for Ceasefire Liberia
The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of State without Portfolio, is assuring its citizenry as well as foreigners of the construction and maintenance of new roads and bridges.
The Ministry disclosed that the Government of Liberia is embarking on the rehabilitation, reconstruction and construction of primary and secondary roads, as well as feeder and neighborhood roads and bridges, to improve its infrastructure and attract investors.
The disclosure was made during a three-day Managing Infrastructure Retreat organized by the Ministry of Public Works at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, in collaboration with the World Bank and the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET).
During the retreat, which was organized under the theme “Output and Performance Road Contract (OPRC) concept,” Minister of Public Works Samuel Kofi Woods indicated that major and economically important links had been targeted. He named these as the Bokay town to Buchanan axis, which links Monrovia to Buchanan; the Monrovia to Gbarnga, Gbarnga to Ganta road; and Ganta to Guinean border, which, besides linking Monrovia to the capitals of Margibi, Bong and Nimba counties, also links Liberia to the forest region of the Republic of Guinea.
“The Ministry would like to stress its commitment in working with the private sector in achieving these goals. We will demonstrate our commitment to long-term financing security of investments and the will and determination to satisfy our citizens,” Minister Wood asserted.
Minister of State without Portfolio, Natty B. Davies, through whose Ministry the retreat is being implemented, divulged that owing to the critical development of the infrastructure, local contractors have a pivotal role to play in the national reconstruction era through helping international construction firms to achieve the desire objective.
Minister Davies said the retreat, which brought to the fore international and local construction companies, is intended to offer improved and quality infrastructure.
“Liberia, in partnership with the World Bank and the ACET, is holding this three-day managing infrastructure retreat to encourage local contractors to be part of the process and tell Liberians of the Government’s plans, which are aimed at restoring confidence, promoting the integrity of our infrastructure and accelerating development,” Minister Davies pointed out.
Keynote speaker Mr. Larry Hannah, Senior Associate of the ACET, speaking on the topic, “Managing Infrastructure,” stressed that Liberia as a post-conflict country has a good economic outlook with a low density of population and a high cost of living despite low incomes.
During the formal opening of the retreat on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said that in order to develop the private sector, infrastructure is paramount and if not tackled will continue to constrain the achievement of growth and development in Liberia. The President added that the country’s continuous rainfall coupled with the dense population and poverty makes meeting the infrastructure needs very difficult.
Article originally published on www.ceasefireliberia.com