The Liberia-India bilateral relations have begun to germinate high with an unprecedented donation of 45 transnational buses and five firetrucks. With the buses donated last year, the firetrucks were presented yesterday by the People and Government of India through its Ambassador Y.K. Sailas Thangal to the Government and the people of Liberia in the full view of President Dr. George Manneh Weah and the Minister of State for Presidential Affair, Nathaniel Falo McGill at the Freeport of Monrovia; The Analyst’s Rancy S. Teewia who covered the presentation, reports.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony at the Freeport of Monrovia on Monday, February 3, 2020, the Indian Ambassador credited to Liberia, His Excellency Y.K. Sailas Thangal, said the donation is in line with the bilateral relationship between the Government and people of India and Government and people of Liberia, saying that the fire trucks are in addition to the 45 Buses donated last year.
Ambassador Thangal said the donation of the 45 buses and the presentation of the five firetrucks are intended to further strengthen the partnership between India and Liberia.
He indicated that these donations are just the beginning of India’s support to Liberia, and added, “We all know our partnership is very strong and the donations are not the end of India support to Liberia; there are more to come.”
He also said the 45 buses and the five firetrucks will not go out of service, assuring that the Government of India has already sent experts to Liberia to train Liberians in the know of servicing the equipment profoundly.
Mr. Thangal urged Liberians who are certified to be part of the training to be very serious for their own benefits and the country.
Receiving the trucks on behalf of President George Manneh Weah, the Government and people of Liberia, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel F. McGill, extended appreciation to the Government of India for their consistent support to Liberia and the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity (PAPD). President Weah himself cut the ribbon unveiling the trucks to the Liberian people at the Freeport.
Minister McGill said the issue of fire disasters in the country has been one of the President’s concern, and he has been working diligently in order to find remedy to the situation. “Fire is a very dangerous element and the President has been very concern about the issue of fire disaster in the country; he will make sure to solve every fire incident in our Communities,” Min. McGill assured for the President.
Also receiving the donation, the Liberia National Fire Service Inspector General, Col. Alex K. Dickson, said the donation manifests the promise made by the President to the Liberia National Fire Service family.
He said this is the first time in the history of Liberia for the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) to benefit from a donation of five firetrucks at once. The Director General of the LNFS, Col. Alex K. Dickson, said the fire service has not had more than three firetrucks since its establishment in 1949.
At same time the acting Foreign Minister Henry B. Fahnbulleh said the donation of the firetrucks is a manifestation to the bilateral relationship between India and Liberia. “The Indian Government has been making several contributions towards the growing and the development of the country, and we at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will like to extend our gratitude to the Government and people of India for their continuous support to Liberia.”
Various speakers at the occasion said, in addition to the 45 buses recently donated government to the National Transit Authority (NTA), the public transport company of the Government of Liberia, to help address the acute transportation difficulties in the country, fire trucks would be used to fight against the prevalence of fire outbreaks in the country.
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