Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has officially broken ground for the development of Providence Island, marking a major step in the Government of Liberia’s efforts to preserve the country’s history while transforming one of its most important heritage sites into a competitive tourism destination.
The groundbreaking represents a significant milestone in the implementation of the Government’s tourism development agenda and signals a shift toward deliberate investment in Liberia’s cultural and heritage assets as part of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Boakai described Providence Island as central to Liberia’s historical identity and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the country’s history is preserved, developed and presented to the world.
“We said tourism was going to be an important part of the ARREST Agenda. And today, we have started,” President Boakai said.
The President emphasized that Liberia possesses an important historical legacy that deserves greater international recognition.
“We want Liberians to know that if there is any history in Africa, we have it here,” he said. “This historic island is the beginning of the history of Liberia, and we are going to make the world know that it was not a forgotten place.”
Providence Island occupies a special place in Liberia’s national history and remains one of the country’s most significant heritage assets. Its development is intended to combine historical preservation, tourism infrastructure and visitor experience, creating a destination capable of attracting Liberians, members of the diaspora and international visitors while safeguarding the historical significance of the island for future generations.
President Boakai acknowledged that development of the historic site had been anticipated for years but said the groundbreaking represented the beginning of a new chapter.
“Even though some of you feel that there has been a little delay, I think today is the day,” the President said before formally breaking ground for the project.
Chairman of the Board of the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA), Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga, said the development demonstrates the Government’s willingness to move beyond discussions about Liberia’s tourism potential and make concrete investments in destination development.
He disclosed that initial works on the island are being financed directly by the Government of Liberia and credited President Boakai for ensuring that the project moved forward.
“We want the whole world to know that whatever money is being spent on this island now is directly from the Government of Liberia,” Amb. Onanuga said.
He added:
“It couldn’t have been done without the intervention of the President, who has said this is a key portion of his ARREST Agenda. You can see that he is prepared to see it through.”
Amb. Onanuga explained that activities are currently at the mobilization stage, with priority areas of the island being prepared as implementation of the project begins.
The Director General of the Liberia National Tourism Authority, Princess Eva Cooper, described the occasion as an important moment for Liberians who have long hoped to see Providence Island properly preserved and developed.
“Mr. President, thank you so much for being here today to break ground at this historic landmark in Liberia,” Director General Cooper said. “This project means a lot to many Liberians who want to see this island develop.”
She praised President Boakai for taking the political and financial decision to advance the project and said its significance extends beyond the current generation.
“Thank you for being the President to take on that mantle and make this a success story for Liberians and for unborn generations,” she said.
The Providence Island project is being implemented as a design-and-build development, allowing the technical design and construction processes to advance as an integrated project. Conceptual designs associated with the development provide the vision for the site, while detailed technical considerations will continue to guide implementation, particularly in relation to the preservation of the island’s historical character and artifacts.
For the Liberia National Tourism Authority, the project forms part of a broader strategy to move Liberia from simply identifying and promoting tourism potential toward developing market-ready tourism products and destinations capable of contributing to employment, entrepreneurship, investment, cultural preservation and national economic diversification.
Providence Island is expected to become a flagship heritage destination and an important component of Liberia’s destination brand, creating opportunities to tell the country’s story to both domestic and international audiences.
The groundbreaking also underscores the Government’s growing recognition of tourism as an economic sector capable of supporting local enterprise, attracting investment and creating new opportunities while protecting Liberia’s cultural and historical heritage.
With President Boakai formally launching the development, Providence Island now stands at the center of what the Government and the Liberia National Tourism Authority envision as a new era of heritage preservation and destination development.
As President Boakai declared at the historic site:
“Today, we are here to break that ground at this very historic Providence Island.”
The ceremony marks not merely the commencement of physical development, but a renewed national commitment to preserving Liberia’s history, transforming its heritage assets and ensuring that the story of Providence Island is known to the world.
