Monrovia — On Friday, March 1, 2024, the Government of Liberia and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a US$40 million loan agreement for the Mano River Union Road Development Transport Facilitation Phase 1.
The agreement aims to enhance road infrastructure and boost intra-community trade in the Mano River Union area. The loan will support the upgrading of 48.5 km of roads in Liberia and 39 km in Sierra Leone to bitumen standard, along with feasibility studies for an additional 97 kilometers of roads in Liberia.
Speaking during the event, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Boima S. Kamara, who signed on behalf of the government, lauded the Bank for its support toward road infrastructure and other areas of development.
Minister Kamara stated, "We are signing a loan support agreement from the African Development Bank to finance the fourth phase of the road development and Transport Facilitation Program for Sierra Leone and Liberia."
It can be recalled that the Bank signed the Road Development and Transport Facilitation program in 2012 under a special initiative to boost the post-conflict recovery of the Mano River Union area by improving road infrastructure and promoting intra-community trade.
Minister Kamara emphasized that the approval of the loan by the Bank covers an ADF grant worth US$40 million for Sierra Leone and US$24 million for Liberia, with Liberia also receiving an additional US$16 million loan from the Transitional Support Facility (TSF) pillars 1.
Also speaking, the AfDB's Country Manager to Liberia, Mr. Benedict S. Kanu, underscored what he termed as the timeliness, relevance, and value-added of the program.
According to him, the project will build on the ongoing phases aimed at boosting regional integration and trade in the Mano River Union. He maintained that the project also includes rehabilitating cross-border infrastructure, developing socio-economic facilities, and supporting women and youth associations to promote private enterprise.
He further stated that the project is expected to create over 2000 jobs during the construction phase, with a focus on empowering 30 percent women and improving regional integration and trade.
Mr. Kanu asserted that the program is intended to help improve the standard of the roads connecting Beudu to Koindu in Sierra Leone, linking Liberia and Guinea, and the John Davies Town to Zwedru section on the Fish Town-Zwedru axis in Liberia.
"This signing today will boost the safety and trade of the regional corridor and accessibility and quality of life for local communities," Mr. Kanu stated.
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He added that in addition to opening the region, the project will create urgent job opportunities for young men and women during the construction and maintenance phases.
Adding up, the Minister of Public Works, Roland L. Giddings, explained how the program is being financed in phases, with Phase I nearing completion covering Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Guinea, while Phase II will cover Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire, and phase III Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
Minister Giddings further reiterated that on December 14, 2023, the board of directors of the African Development Fund (ADF), through the African Development Bank Group, approved US$80 million to finance IV of the Mano River Union Road development and transport facilitation program (MRU/RDTFP).
According to him, the works will boost the safety and trade of the regional corridor and improve accessibility and quality of life for the local community.
