Liberia, Germany Sign US$16M Road Financing Agreement

MONROVIA – Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah has announced that President George Weah government will not build political roads as being perceived by opposition politicians.

Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr. [email protected]

Tweah said government is prepared to build roads that will have an economic impact on all Liberians.

“We don’t want to build political roads; we want to build roads that make economic sense that will benefit all Liberians from all backgrounds,” Min. Tweah said.

Making the assertion during the signing ceremony of a US$16 million financing agreement between the Governments of Liberia and Germany late Tuesday evening at Boulevard Palace Hotel in Monrovia, the Finance Minister said President George Weah is prepared and determined to deliver his promises on roads construction.

At the signing ceremony, the German Development Bank committed 14 million Euros which is equivalent to US$16 million for financing of Ganta to Zwedru corridor.

Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah commended the German Development Bank, KFW for the signing of the US$16 million financing agreement.

The German Development Bank, KfW, was represented by Andreas Mariam.

Tuesday’s signing of the 14 million Euros financing instrument between the two governments is under the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund (LRTF) arrangement.

The LRTF is a multi-partner mechanism to fund road and power infrastructure in Liberia.

Signing the document on behalf of the German Development Bank, Andreas Mariam indicated that the institution was pleased to sign a contract with the Liberian government for the implementation of its road projects.

He said Liberia and Germany friendship has lasted for years, saying, his country will continue to support Liberia even under the leadership of President George Weah.

He said the southeastern Liberia is Germany interest to help develop the region because the region is under developed and abandoned for past years.

“The Southeast is the main focus area for Germany because the area is the least under developed area in Liberia, and Germany is committed to contribute to the development of that area,” he said.

Mariam said his institution is pleased to contribute to the developmental drive of Liberia after the prolonged civil crisis in the country.

He said Germany has also contributed to the development of other areas in Liberia including the energy sector of Liberia.

Also Speaking, Public Works Minister Mobutu Nyenpan said the signing ceremony for the financing of the Ganta to Zwedru road is the effort exhibited by the Weah led government for the implementation of roads projects in the country.

“We are happy that this agreement is being made successful for the financing our southeastern roads, President Weah’s commitment to connect the country through roads is fruitful from what is being seen here today and in the past days,” he said, 

For his part, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill warned politicians to stop interfering in how President Weah is running the government.

He said politicians cannot run the government for the CDC, saying, “We are the ones that won the election, politicians cannot run the government for us. At the end of 2021 you all will see the fruit of this government and politicians will have no voice,” he said.

Meanwhile, in addition to the signing of the US$16 million by the Germans, the Government of the UK, through its Ambassador has confirmed his government’s provision of an additional US$6.5 million also towards the Ganta -Zwedru road.

Under a new and innovative financing mechanism, the Government of Liberia will also contribute towards this project from proceeds collected from the road fund.

With the government’s coordination with the World Bank, the procurement process for the works to begin in 2019 is in its final stages.