World Bank Denies Promising to Fund Liberia’s Fisheries Project

Monrovia – The World Bank says it made no commitment to funding a new fisheries project as claimed by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).

Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]

NaFAA disclosed upon its Director General Madam Emma Glassco return from the United States that a US$21 million fisheries project is underway in Liberia.

It said in a press release that the project is under the West Africa Regional Fisheries Project (WARFP) and is will be sponsor by the World Bank.

The release, issued on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, states that Madam Glassco held fruitful discussions with authorities of the World Bank in continuation of the West Africa Regional Fisheries Project (WARFP)) in Liberia. The release adds that Madam Glassco’s visit to the World Bank office is in Washington D.C was a follow up to a US$21 million fisheries project.

The 21 million US dollars from the World Band will be used to construct a modern state of the art fishing and processing facilities and the establishment of landing jetties in targeted five coastal counties including, the release said.

But, the World Bank in a rebuttal statement released in Monrovia stressed that for Liberia to have a new fishery project will be determined after the new World Bank Director for Regional Integration comes on board on May 1, 2019.

The Bank said a strategic decision will be made to fit the country’s priority needs, adding that it would “like to set the record straight regarding the accuracy of the NaFAA release”.

“During a meeting in Washington DC, both World Bank Directors praised what Liberia has achieved and recognized the challenges the country is facing,” the statement said. The World Bank statement did not give further detail about providing funding or plans to provide any.