Public Works Snatches Outstanding Performance -As Pres. Weah Promises to Name & Shame Delinquent Performers

By: Anthony Q. Jiffan, Jr.

With the overall road works portfolio in Liberia being over 400 km for 2019, representing the largest portfolios at any given time in the history of the road sector in Liberia.  President George Manneh Weah in a spirit of motivating his cabinets awarded the Ministry of Public Works under the leader ship of Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan a handsome purse for the high performance in the cabinet.

The deputy Presidential Press Secretary Smith Toby who disclosed this yesterday at his regular press briefing at the Executive mansion did not disclosed the content of the purse, but he informed members of the Executive Mansion Press Corp that  as evidence of the high performance of the Public Works Ministry, and in keeping with the practical move by the President to motivate executive officials, President Weah on Monday, March 2, 2020 awarded a purse to the Ministry of Public Works as the best performing Ministry under two years of his Administration.

With smiles beaming on the faces of Public Works Minister Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan and his able team during the brief presentation and appreciation ceremony, the Liberian leader used the occasion to encourage other officials of his government to emulate the good examples of the Public Works Ministry.

The Liberian leader said through his deputy spokesman that officials of the Executive Branch of Government will now have to double up and tighten their belts very well in order to dance to the practical implementation of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Development and Prosperity through concrete performance within the context of the mandate of President George Weah.

Toby said the Liberian leader appears firm, practical and very concerned about deliverables achieved by officials, especially by members of the cabinet in his government, and therefore wants to see members of his cabinet roll up their sleeves to ensure that they get tangibly deliverables in rolling out the PADP in their respective activities in the best interest of the nation and its people.

Toby quoted President Weah as indicating his resolved to name and shame those officials of government who fail to performance in the government. “Step up to your game in order for us to deliver and make our people smile”, the deputy presidential spokesman implores the cabinet.

Considerably, the awarding of Minister Nyenpan and his team comes as a results of the ministry’s involvement with the construction of a number feeder and primary roads since the incumbency of the Weah-led Coalition of for Democratic Change (CDC) to the helm of government two years ago.

With Nyenpan presiding, the Public Works Ministry continues to enjoy the support of its development partners, including the World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (ADB), European Union (EU), European Investment Bank (EIB), Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) and the Japanese Government.

Other partners with whom Our Man of the Year coordinates the country’s road projects include: United Kingdom Aid (UKAid), the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the Norwegian Government, ECOWAS Bank for International Development (EBID), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) represented by its local branch the Millennium Challenge Account-Liberia  (MCAL), the Government of the People’ s Republic of China and China Aid, the GIZ and the German Government including the KFW.

These support the ministry enjoy puts it into acting on some of the road promises by President Weah, thereby ensuring the presidential award.  Besides, he disclosed that the country’s chief executive will also award best performing Government line ministries and agencies, including officials in a bid to motivate them to perform more.

Obviously, however, Minister Nyenpan’s Ministry of Public Works is strategically position in one of the key priority sectors of the government’s Pro-Poor Agenda which focuses on infrastructural development that prioritizes road construction across the country, and some analysts sees that awarding of the minister and his team a strategic call to action of leaders of other sectors of the PADP policy of government by the President, something the president considers noted was commendable, the deputy spokesman of the president exclaimed.

Mr. Toby pointed out that despite some constrains government ministries are experiencing, President Weah was equally impressed with Minister Nyenpan’s and his team splendid performance over the period.

He at the same time urged the Ministry not to be carried away by the award, but rather to work harder in delivering on the government’s promise in that sector for the benefit of the Country.

In a related development, Toby said resettlement packages for the plan demolition work for project affected persons along the Roberts International Airport Highway to ELWA road project will begin soon.

Currently the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning and Public Works are concluding arrangements for the commencement of the exercise, which will subsequently pave the way for the official start of the 94.5 Million strategic RIA to ELWA Road Project, which is expected upon kick up to be dedicated in 2023.

Meanwhile, Toby narrated that President Weah also met with key stakeholders in the sector to find a workable solution to some of the challenges in the sector rather than engaging blame game. They include the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LW&SC) and partners, and the World Bank.

At the meeting, Tobe asserted that President Weah urged the parties of interest to coordinate for the smooth implementation of road projects, while the World Bank pledged its support to roads, electricity and other development projects in the Country.