Liberia: World Bank Gives U.S.$63 Million Grant

By Varney M. Kamara

The World Bank has provided US63 million (Sixty Three Million United States Dollars) grant to the government of Liberia for the implementation of Employment and skills projects in the country.

Making the disclosure yesterday, July 29, 2010 at the signing ceremonies held at the Ministry of Finance, the World Bank's Country Manager, Dr. Ohene Owusu Nyanin said he was happy to be a part of the signing exercise and revealed that the two projects, The Youth Employment Skills (YES), and the Urban and Rural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (URIRP), were geared towards proving short term job opportunities for the vulnerable population.

He said the project will support Government's Efforts with US6million form the International Development Association (IDA) Crisis Response Window (CRW), and 10million grant from the Africa Catalytic Growth Fund, to help the Government of Liberia generate immediate employment opportunities and develop skills for youth.

During the initial stages of the implementation process, he disclosed that the project will be built on the successful LACE managed pilot that has created 17,000 jobs in the past year and a half, and revealed further that the bank will scale up to 45,000 temporary jobs conducting community works over the coming three years.

"We will now scale up to 45,000 temporary jobs, conducting community works over the coming three years. Young people, those living in the poorest areas, those destitute and without access to other opportunities will be by this project" the World Bank official said.

Dr. Nyanin narrating further said the project will also help to develop the private sector particularly in areas such as skill-based in Liberia that will encourage increased economic growth. A large number of the development programs, he disclosed, have been implemented in the country, but however stressed that there has been limited success in helping the trainees obtain work. He said in addition to proving training for the youth, the YES Project is also aimed at increasing the capacity of the private sector to create employment; closely analyze current and project labor market demands; and will also develop channels for sustenance of institutions, as well as training providers and participants.

The other project, the Urban and Rural Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (URIRP), he explained, will close the financing of gap required to fully fund the rehabilitation of the remainder of the Monrovia-Buchanan corridor.

Dr. Nyanin also revealed the sources in which the US47million was coming from. He named the World Bank (through a crisis Response Window set up to respond to global financial crisis) which provided US20million, and US27 Million form the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund managed by the World Bank as the main providers of the fund, and went on to name Germany, Sweden, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Norway, as well as the World Bank as major contributors to the project. He also disclosed that the European Commission will soon start to contribute to the LRTF Project.

"It can be recalled that the initial works on the corridor begun with the World Bank financing of the Freeport-Airport/RIA road. We are proud to indicate that work was completed early last year" he discloses.

Finally, Dr. Nyanin assured the Government and people of Liberia of the World Bank's commitment to the rebuilding of the country, and called on Liberians to stand up to the task of rebuilding their nation in the midst of the enormous challenges.

"As we sign these agreements today, let me assure you of the World Bank's continuous support to the Government and people of Liberia in meeting the enormous task of rebuilding this country" Dr. Nyanin is quoted as pledging the World Bank's support to the rebuilding of Liberia.

Responding, Liberia's finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, extended thanks and appreciation to the World Bank on behalf of president Sirleaf and the government and people of Liberia for their many financial contributions made towards the nation's recovery process, describing the signing ceremonies as 'a hope for Liberians.'

"On behalf of president Sirleaf and the Government and people of Liberia, I want to extend thanks and appreciation to the World Bank for their continuous support to the government of Liberia. I believe the project is very significant because it connects one of Liberia's basic roads" he said.

Minister Ngafuan also thanked LACE for demonstrating what he called 'its repeated confidence', and said the government was prepared to galvanized local resources to support the projects.

He said the project, financed by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB), when started, will provide Liberia's poorest and most vulnerable sectors a lot of short term job opportunities. Minister Ngafuan also clarified that the projects are Liberian- owned projects that are sponsored by the World Bank and other major contributors to Liberia's post-conflict rebuilding process, contrary to reports filtering in the public that the projects are owned by the World Bank.

He said the granting of moneys to projects that are sponsored in Liberia does not mean that the country is exempted from paying back in the future. He described the signing of the agreement as confessional process, and revealed that through a gradual procedure, the country would pay back its debts though at a relatively low amount of interest thus, he narrated, it was taxpayers' moneys that would be spent to settle these debts and as such, the projects should not be regarded as 'World Bank projects but rather Liberian-own.

In conclusion, Minster Ngafuan lauded the government of Liberia for acting in a responsible manner by firstly convincing donors and other international partners that they are credible and can be trusted to do business with, and for attracting huge attention from investors to come and invest into Liberia, and also appreciated the Liberian people for exercising patience with the government whom he said, was committed to rebuilding their lives.

Original Source:
Original date published: 30 July 2010

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