Monrovia – Cabinet has received additional updates reflecting agriculture particularly the recent visit of IFAD Executive Director to Liberia to breathe a sigh of relief and vibrancy into the sector, ICT National Backbone Fiber Optic, Liberia’s Financial Obligations to International Organizations, a situation report from Bomi County and immediate steps to salvage current conditions at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine.
According to an Executive Mansion release, Cabinet received key and significant progress updates on the recent visit of IFAD Executive Director, Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze with emphasis on documenting the impact of interventions in terms of how road rehabilitation and increase in yields and quality of cocoa affected or changed the conditions and livelihoods of beneficiaries. Cabinet has therefore endorsed the ‘Tree Crop Extension Project and rural Community Finance Project.’
The Tree Crop Extension Project aims at improving the incomes and climate change resilience of smallholder cocoa producers in Nimba County; increase quantity and quality of cocoa sold by 8,000 smallholder farmers, increase the resilience of 4,000 smallholder farmers to climate change, rehabilitate approximately 200 kilometres of farm-to-market roads and enhance public-private partnership (PPP) model piloted by similar IFAD funded project in Lofa County.
Following updates on the ICT National Backbone Fiber Optic by Liberia Telecommunications Authority Chairperson Angelique Weeks and LIBTELCO Director General Sebastian Muah, Cabinet mandated sectoral heads comprising the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, Liberia Telecommunications Authority and Libtelco to think-tank their focus on an outcome that is driven by increased private sector partnership.
On updates on Liberia’s financial obligations to international organizations, Cabinet mandated ministries, agencies, and commissions in concert with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to negotiate waiver in light of pre-conflict and years riddled by turmoil and make a strong case to effectively use as of 2006 to date for debts owned international organizations. Cabinet renewed its commitment to settling international obligations to ensure Liberia’s continuous membership within the comity of nations is greeted with the highest respect it deserves.
Meanwhile Cabinet has mandated its Defense as well as Justice and Security teams to thoroughly investigate the incident in Bomi County and revert to the next sitting with a full, detailed and comprehensive report for onwards dissemination to the general public.
In a related development, Cabinet has announced the opening of a Book of Condolence for its fallen colleague, Dr. Edward B. McClain, Jr. Minister of State for Presidential Affairs on Wednesday, August 17, 2016; Removal of Body and Wake-keeping on Saturday, August 20, 2016 and Funeral on Monday, August 22, 2016 at the Providence Baptist Church.
Cabinet, also having initiated and assessed the prevailing dire situation affecting the general living conditions of students and poor facilities at the A.M. Dogliotti College of Medicine immediately took three critical remedial steps to salvage such worrying development. Amongst steps resolved and mandated were: immediate Cabinet goodwill intervention to be delivered on Friday, August 12; composition of a Task Force to be led by the GSA and a complete assessment of the dormitories at the Medical School for quick impact intervention.
Cabinet also resolved to positively engage the National Legislature precisely on information-sharing about the administration’s achievements and the execution of major development projects across the country.