Monrovia – The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Monrovia says it will shortly embark on the construction of a modern Textile production Center in Kolahun, Lofa County.
According to the Commerce Ministry, the construction of the Textile production Center will be undertaken through its Rural Industrial program for the Promotion of Economic Empowerment with funding from the Government of Japan.
The project titled the Lofa Women Weaving Center is intended to promote the Ministry’s inclusive growth agenda by supporting the advancement of local production to fostering Small and Medium Enterprise (SME).
Commerce Minister Axel Addy said he is delighted to notice that the project is now on the verge of commencing.
“It is a pleasure to get to this point, there is so much at stake for this to be realized, Minister Addy said.
The Commerce Minister added that the project is a symbol of the potential of the private sector. ”This project is a symbol of the potential of the private sector.”
Minister Addy urged Liberians to change their consuming habits, adding that it can help build Liberia.
“We should begin buying locally, this is how we can build Liberia,” the Commerce Minister said.
This is the first of several, Liberian Innovation Fund for Entrepreneur (LIFE) funded capital infrastructure projects being implemented by the Commerce Ministry.
The development of a facility dedicated to promoting the expansion of Liberia’s signature textile, known as Lofa Cloth” commonly called the “country cloth”, will stimulate the development of the sector and contribute to meeting the growing demand of the Lofa Cloth.
The Lofa cloth wearing will also encourage the citizens to wear the dress every Friday termed as “wear your pride campaigned launched by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in her annual message.
The industry, according to the Minister, will not only be centered on cloth weaving , but the development of a cotton industry and the promotion of planting and harvesting of cotton fiber, which will reduce the reliance on imported raw materials and enhance value addition within the textile industry.
The project is a flagship project under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Department of Industry headed by Deputy Minister Ellen Pratt; and the Department of Small Business Administration headed by Deputy Minister Andrew Paygar.
The Department of Industry will have oversight on the physical structure and the sitting up of the factory while the Department of Small Business Administration will have oversight on the programming aspect of the project including the training of weavers, promotion of products to access local and international markets and creating linkages to ensure that the production benefit from the 25% SBA law.
The center covers 3,000 square feet facility, furnished with modern equipment, including power looms, industrial hand looms and polishing machines.
