Liberia: 'If You Don't Plan Well, You Will Fail Well'

28 October 2025
Liberian Observer (Monrovia)

--Finance Minister Ngafuan Commends NPA's $550 Million Five-Year Strategic Plan (2025-2030)

The National Port Authority (NPA) has unveiled a bold and transformative five-year strategic plan (2025-2030), valued at $550 million, aimed at modernizing Liberia's port system and driving national economic growth through efficiency, technology, and innovation.

The plan, officially launched at a ceremony in Monrovia, brings into sharp focus the government's commitment to aligning state institutions with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development. The event drew senior government officials, legislators, development partners, and private sector stakeholders who hailed the initiative as a critical milestone in Liberia's infrastructure transformation.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, commended the NPA leadership for its foresight and strategic ambition, stressing that sound planning is the cornerstone of national success.

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"If you do not plan well, you will fail well," Minister Ngafuan declared. "You need big thinking. You need big dreams... but it's one thing to have the plan, it's another thing to work the plan."

Drawing an analogy between strategic planning and constructing a strong house, the Minister emphasized that a solid foundation prevents collapse "like a pack of cards." He noted that the NPA's framework extends beyond institutional strengthening, serving as a vital instrument in tackling Liberia's cost-of-living crisis by enhancing operational efficiency, reducing vessel turnaround time, and lowering import costs.

"The amount they charge for goods and services will drop," Hon. Ngafuan explained. "And people who are buying goods and services will pay less. The amount they save will make them able to buy bread and butter."

The Minister further linked the NPA's initiative to broader national interventions, including road construction and energy expansion, arguing that these combined efforts are part of a synchronized push to structurally transform Liberia's economy. He acknowledged public impatience for visible progress but urged patience and trust in the process.

"It's like rescuers pulling a child from a deep hole," he said. "You may not see progress immediately, but steady and deliberate action will eventually bring success."

Hon. Ngafuan also applauded the growing participation of Liberian consultancy firms in national planning processes, including the team that developed the NPA strategy. He pledged to review procurement policies that disadvantage local firms.

"The best medical doctor had a time to learn," he noted. "If you don't give someone the first surgery, that person may never ever become the best expert."

Earlier, NPA Managing Director Hon. Sekou A. M. Dukuly described the plan as a comprehensive redefinition of the Authority's mission and vision.

"Far too long, our ports have been seen as mere revenue collection points. Today, we are changing that narrative," Hon. Dukuly declared. "Our ports are hubs for trade facilitation, anchors of economic growth, models for national development, and robust stations for job creation."

Developed under the theme "RESET," the NPA Strategic Plan is anchored on five pillars: Reforming governance and empowering regional ports; Enhancing operational efficiency; Strengthening financial management and revenue diversification; Establishing an inland container terminal; and Transforming and modernizing port infrastructure.

Hon. Dukuly emphasized that the RESET Agenda is not merely an internal reform program but a national call to action designed to reposition Liberia's ports as engines of trade, investment, and prosperity.

"We launch this document not just as a plan, but as a clear vision to build our port system and attract foreign direct investment," he stated. "This plan will facilitate trade and commerce that will lead our nation's economic revival."

The launch of the NPA Five-Year Strategic Plan (2025-2030) represents one of Liberia's most decisive moves in recent years to modernize its maritime infrastructure, expand trade capacity, and unlock the ports' potential as drivers of inclusive and sustainable national growth.

Read the original article on Liberian Observer.

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