Monrovia – President George Weah has promised to construct free housing units for rural inhabitants in all 15 counties across Liberia, in line with his government pro-poor agenda.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
“Today I see that my parents, grandparents and people I left in Sasstown in 1975 are still living in the house I left them in. We are in a modern era and it’s time to change that to give them hope. I want to guarantee you that the 15 counties will be served with these housing units,” President Weah stated Wednesday, June 20, when he dedicated the prototype housing unit.
The units will form part of the Special Presidential Project being implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) and is expected to benefit approximately one million rural dwellers.
The total cost to implement this project is estimated at US$8 million, which will come from the Japanese government.
During the launch of the housing project under the title, “Special Presidential Pro-poor Housing Unit Project” near Fendall, Lower Margibi County, President Weah noted that the initiative is aimed at improving the living condition of people in rural communities to that of Monrovia and its suburb.
The Liberia leader stated that an initial US$4 million will be given to LACE during the first quarter of the project to construct 282 units low cost houses, beginning with his home town in Sass Town in Grand Kru County.
Out of a population of 4.5 million people, the 2014 Household Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by the Liberia Institute for Statistic and Geo Information Services (LISGIS), showed that 54.1 percent do not own houses; they live in or has no house at all.
Speaking further, the President noted that the units are mainly targeted at changing the outlook of huts and mishit structures along Liberia’s highways with 564 housing units, 94 latrines and 30 hand pumps.
The construction of these 564 units is going to begin in the President’s home town of Sass town, Grand Kru County and will continue all around the country, including along major highways.
“I made a campaign promise to Liberians that when you make me President I will do my best and everything I am doing today is what I promised to do,” Weah stated.
“Everything I say today is what I said I was going to do. I am not the best talker but I believe in action, I live in Sass town from 1975-1979 and never had the opportunity to live in a home like this,” he reminisced.
President Weah wants LACE and other implementing arms of the project to fast track the units and ensure that it is durable to serve the its occupants for a long time.
He described the sample of the housing unit in Fendall as durable, adding that it speaks volume of the government’s pro-poor agenda.
“When we talk about pro-poor, it means everyone must be served: the rich, the bureaucrats and the poor. There will be affordable housings for Liberians who want it, but this one is intended to take our people from poverty to sustainable development and it’s going to be free of charge from the Government of Liberia,” the President disclosed.
He expressed frustration over how makeshift structures along the highways keep creating negative pictures for Liberia; noting that the pro-poor housing units will change such dimension.
As government endeavors to embark on road construction efforts across the country, President Weah said huts and makeshift structures along highways will not reflect significant development; adding: “It must change.”
Giving an overview of the project, LACE Executive Director Quiwu P. Yeke noted that the project is the first of its kind to be initiated by the pro-poor administration and it sets the ball rolling for social development as well as economic empowerment for Liberians.
Yeke asserted that poverty is still high in rural Liberia but the units will help strengthen and support poverty reduction as well as social protection and provide hope for rural dwellers.
“The government is working on building the resilience and capacity of rural communities to improve and self-manage themselves,” Yeke averred.
These communities, according to him, will witness the provision of public services including schools, youth centers, police stations and clinics among others.
By this means, he believes venerable families living in Monrovia will be happy to return home in contributing to rural community development through agriculture and other means.
Yeke assured President Weah that LACE will recruit graduates from the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC) for the implementation of the project.
“These units will be built by young people, who are living in those communities and we will be working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the recruitment of graduates trained in construction works from vocational institutions.”
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