Monrovia – Supervisors of Liberia’s 15 political divisions benefiting from the Youth Opportunity Project (YOP) have received one motorbike each, for the enhancement of their work.
The supervisors were recruited by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) to head 15,000 youths, who will be trained for the implementation the YOP throughout Liberia.
The YOP is a US$10 million initiative sponsored by the World Bank and implemented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports along with LACE.
During the presentation, Youth and Sports Minister Saah Charles N’Tow expressed delight over the ratification of the project by the National Legislature, which he named helpful for youth empowerment.
N’Tow said it would be difficult for county coordinators of the 15 counties to do their work effectively without being provided such means of transportation.
“Huge numbers of young people are focused on the city.”
“We have to find a way to get them attracted to the rural areas by making the areas they come from more attractive.”
“Hopefully, some of those who are there now will encourage others in the city by the kind of work they do,” N’Tow stated.
The YOP according to the Liberian Youth and Sports Minister will encourage youths in the agriculture sector.
Minister N’Tow further indicated that the Ministry is excited over the manner in which the YOP is being coordinated.
Speaking earlier, LACE Deputy Executive Director for Administration, Marian D. Varfley, called on youths across Liberia to take the project serious.
According to Madam Varfley, the project, if utilized properly will serve as a means of empowerment.
“I am appealing to the community leaders to give their fullest cooperation to the county coordinators, who will be working along with them in the project,” Varfley said.
At the same time, the National Coordinator of the YOP, Jesse Hallie Bengu, said the project is government’s own way of empowering young people across the Liberia.
According to Bengu, the motorcycle presentation falls under the second, out of four components,which the project targets.
This component according to him is directed to agriculture activities and targets ten thousand young people.
“We are in all counties of Liberia; you see the motorbike here, and they will be issued to our county coordinators across Liberia.”
“We have 15 counties’ coordinators. This is to empower them do their work effectively,” Bengu said.
Launched by Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai in January 2017, YOP is aimed at improving access to income generation opportunities for targeted youth.
According to its implementers, YOP is also meant to strengthen government’s capacity to implement its cash transfer program and expected to be implemented for a 10-year period.