NRF Chief lauds Youth ARMFA Success -Calls Them “Superpower”

By: George C Flomo 

MONROVIA – The Manager of the National Road Fund of Liberia (NRF), Madam Joseta Neufville Wento, has attributed Liberia’s successful hosting of the 22nd General Assembly of the African Road Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA) to the energy, talent, and discipline of young Liberians who she says “rose to the occasion” and delivered a conference that many in Africa believed would be impossible to organize in just three months.

Speaking in an interview with a team of journalists after Day Three of the week-long assembly in Monrovia, Madam Wento reflected on Liberia’s resurgence within Africa’s road-funding ecosystem and the vision that led to this year’s historic gathering.

According to the NRF boss, her passion for reform and continental cooperation was ignited years ago when she encountered the Road Fund of Namibia, an institution she describes as a model of efficiency and innovation.

“Well, it all started as an experience from when we encountered the Road Fund of Namibia. That’s where the inspiration and passion started,” she explained.

She noted that Liberia, being the oldest republic on the African continent, naturally has a leadership role to play—even amid infrastructure and regulatory challenges.

“Regardless of the challenges, we have dynamism in town now,” she emphasized. “We have young people trusted by His Excellency the President to take charge. Through these engagements, we have seen the challenges each Road Fund faces. The good thing is that we have a platform where we can share experiences, challenges, and solutions.”

Liberia at a Pivotal Moment of Reform

Madam Wento believes the timing of the assembly could not be more important. Liberia, she said, is currently undertaking significant reforms in its laws, regulations, and operational frameworks governing road maintenance and financing.

“For Liberia, this convergence is crucial because we are at a pivotal point for reform,” she stated. “Having these discussions—especially on innovative financing—is going to set the bedrock for the development and improvement of all Road Funds across Africa.”

“The Super Power Is the Young People”

When asked how her team managed to organize an international conference—something some countries take two years to plan—in just three months, Madam Wento did not hesitate.

“The superpower is the young people,” she declared with pride.

She explained that the Road Fund has developed a unique internship program that recruits high-performing college students and recent graduates, exposing them not only to technical skills but also social, administrative, and leadership training.

“In Liberia we have a lot of talented young people, and our educational system builds you to be versatile, if you’re serious,” she said. “From the airport reception to the events and even the MC—these were all handled by interns.”

Her comments drew admiration from several ARMFA delegates, many of whom reportedly expressed interest in replicating Liberia’s youth-empowerment model within their own national road funds.

“We would like to send our young people to other countries to show them how the system is run,” she added. “The magic is trusting the young people, believing in them, and giving them the right opportunities.”

Responding to a question about how it feels to silence skeptics who doubted her ability to deliver the biggest ARMFA conference ever hosted, Madam Wento said she feels a deep sense of pride—not for herself, but for Liberia.

“This is a moment of pride. I feel very proud,” she said. “We think we can still do more because we are Liberians, and we want people to enjoy and feel at home.”

She praised the ARMFA leadership, the Association’s executive board, and the translators—along with Liberia’s ministers and the NRF Board—for their unwavering support.

“This has been a collaboration of effort, not a singular person,” she emphasized. “Despite their own workloads, they have remained involved. ARMFA also believed in the young people of Liberia. Yes, there was skepticism—‘Is she going to do it?’ But once we started planning, it brought comfort. That’s what we do: resolve bottlenecks and deliver.”

Delegates from more than 35 African countries, along with global partners including the World Bank, attended the ongoing assembly, which has been highlighted by cultural performances, poetry, documentaries, and high-level dialogues on road-financing innovations.

The success of the ongoing conference has positioned Liberia as a rising leader in Africa’s infrastructure-financing conversation—something Madam Wento says is only the beginning of what the country is about the experience in the coming years.