The Ministry of Youth and Sports has officially launched a nationwide county assessment tour beginning in Lofa County, with Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia Wonlekeh Kruah outlining an ambitious plan to decentralize the ministry's operations and expand opportunities for young people across Liberia.
Speaking during the first stop of the tour in Zorzor, Lofa County, Minister Kruah said the initiative is intended to move the ministry's leadership and services beyond the capital, Monrovia, and ensure that youth-focused programs reach communities across the country. "We intend for our leadership at the Ministry of Youth and Sports not to be a Monrovia-based leadership," Kruah said. "We want to take the youth agenda to young people across Liberia."
According to the minister, the county tour serves two primary objectives. The first component focuses on internal institutional assessments, involving key departments such as human resources, internal audit, and asset management.
These teams are expected to inspect ministry facilities, review operations, and engage with employees in the counties to determine the ministry's current capacity and identify areas for improvement as part of the decentralization process.
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The second component of the mission centers on direct engagement with youth stakeholders. Kruah said representatives from several youth organizations and sectors are participating in the discussions, including the Liberian National Student Union, the President's Youth Advisory Council, the National Motorcyclists Union of Liberia, and members of the creative industry such as musicians, comedians, bloggers, and social media influencers.
"These engagements are intended to help us understand the issues affecting young people so that we can prioritize programs that respond directly to their needs," Kruah explained.
During the engagement, the minister also highlighted several initiatives the ministry plans to implement this year aimed at improving the livelihoods of young people.
One of the key programs is the expansion of the cadet internship program previously supported by the United Nations Development Programme.
Minister Kruah disclosed that while partners previously supported about 300 young people, the government intends to significantly increase participation through the Public Sector Investment Programme.
"We plan to add 1,000 additional slots," Kruah said. "This year, we want to have 1,300 cadet opportunities for young people across Liberia."
She added that the ministry is also working to extend the duration of the program from three months to six months to give participants more meaningful work experience and increase their chances of securing long-term employment.
In addition, the ministry plans to launch a national scholarship program for students enrolled in public universities. Under the initiative, each county will receive 100 scholarship slots per semester. Beneficiaries will be allowed to remain on the scholarship until graduation, provided they maintain the required academic performance.
However, the scholarship will come with a community service requirement. Beneficiaries will be expected to complete at least 10 hours of service in their communities each semester, including activities such as public awareness campaigns, youth mentoring, community clean-up exercises, and advocacy on social issues like drug abuse.
"It's the government investing in your life, but we also want those who benefit to give something back to their communities," Kruah said.
Kruah also revealed that the ministry is working with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to support young entrepreneurs through a loan facility expected to be launched soon.
The initiative, described as a youth-focused bank or loan program, will provide financial support for young people who already operate small businesses and want to expand their ventures. "Not everyone can work in government offices," the minister said. "There are young people with real passion for business, and we want to support them to grow and become self-sufficient."
Responding to criticism and skepticism surrounding government programs, Kruah acknowledged that such reactions are common in politics but said they serve as motivation to deliver results. "As a politician, I know that once you attempt to do something, critics will come," she said.
"For too long we have had leaders who failed the people, so some skepticism is understandable. But this is a challenge for me to prove that young people can manage their own agenda and deliver on it."
The minister further emphasized that decentralization will require stronger county-level structures. As part of the reform process, the ministry plans to strengthen the role of county youth coordinators, address mobility challenges that limit their outreach, and work toward regularizing volunteers who currently serve without pay.
Kruah also disclosed that the ministry will increase collaboration with county administrations to ensure youth programs are effectively implemented. Before concluding the Lofa leg of the tour, the minister and her delegation are expected to meet with the county leadership, including Superintendent J. Lavelah Massaquoi, to discuss ways of coordinating youth programs at the local level.
In a welcome remark, Superintendent J. Lavelah Massaquoi, described the tour as an encouragement to young people in the county.
Further urging the young people to take advantage of available opportunities while prioritizing education as the foundation for leadership and national development. "Young people are our strength,"
Questioning the youth about their preparedness, Massaquoi asked. "If you focus only on recreation and neglect your education, who will lead tomorrow?"
He also encouraged the ministry to continue engaging with youth across the county and inspire them to pursue their dreams and career aspirations.
However, Lofa Youth call for increased investment in agriculture following a county-wide engagement across all districts, culminating in Kolahun.
According to the groups, namely the Lofa Youth Development Association, Youth of Foya etc, discussions held during the tour led to a strong consensus that agriculture should be the central focus of development efforts in the county. They emphasized that while other initiatives remain important, prioritizing agriculture would better harness Lofa's natural strengths.
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The youth highlighted the county's fertile soil and the growing passion among young people for farming. Many noted that local youths are already pooling their own resources to establish farms, demonstrating commitment and initiative.
The Youths spoke people added that with proper support and investment, these grassroots efforts could significantly expand, boosting productivity and creating more opportunities for young people across the county.
Furthering her remarks, Minister Kruah said Lofa County was strategically selected as the starting point for the nationwide assessment tour, noting its large youth population and national significance.
She emphasized that the decision was not merely symbolic but aimed at addressing the needs of one of the counties with a significant share of Liberia's young population. "Once we get it right here, it will be easier to replicate these programs across the rest of the country," she said.
The Ministry's county tour is expected to continue in other parts of the country, namely Margibi, Gbarpolu, Grand Cape, and Montserrado as part of efforts to strengthen youth participation, expand employment opportunities, and bring government services closer to young people nationwide.
