Every county in Liberia, he explained, will be receiving electricity through the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) through Nimba, Bassa, Bong, Margibi and some parts of Montserrado.
Finance Minister Amara Konneh told reporters that donor funding would be used to rehabilitate the Mt. Coffee Hydro Plant to about 200 mega watts. He indicated that the increment of the mega watts from 64 to 200 is intended to provide “cheap electricity” to the Liberian people.
Mr. Konneh put the cost of the repair of the Mt. Coffee Hydrop Plant at about US$300 million.
Konneh stated that for three years, beginning with the 2012 budget, the government will allocate US$40 million to buttress donors’ funding in order to achieve the electricity goal in approximately two years, in accordance with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s development agenda.
The World Bank’s Senior Operations Officer in Liberia, Ms. Coleen Littlejohn, has assured Liberians of the World Bank’s support to the Liberian government in its efforts to provide electricity in the country.
Madam Littlejohn indicated that the World Bank has allocated US$252M to support energy projects in Liberia as well as in the region.
She told reporters on Thursday at the Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism that the World Bank would give US$42M to the Liberia Electricity System Enhancement Project. US$22M of the US$42M, which is to procure heavy fuel, is awaiting ratification by the Liberian Legislature.
Madam Littlejohn said that the World Bank will provide US$150M to the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP), from which Liberia is expected to benefit immensely.
“This project is going for the World Bank Executive Board of Directors approval on May 31, 2012,” the World Bank’s Senior Operations Officer in Liberia said.
She further indicated that the World Bank has also allocated US$60M for Liberia, which intended for a new energy project in 2013.
The World Bank’s Managing Director for Africa, Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, recently disclosed that the Bank allocated a long-term loan of US$240 million for development projects in Liberia.
Dr. Indrawati, who visited Liberia last month, indicated that the money would support Liberia’s three-year (fiscal) multi-development plan.
The World Bank’s three-year development plan for Liberia will be directed at capacity building, institution building, the energy sector and road construction.
She said that these areas of concern were vital to the Liberian people since reconciliation and the economy heavily rely on these target areas.
In the energy sector, for instance, the World Bank Manager intoned that her institution was concerned about the need for Monrovia and other parts of the country to have electricity so as to enhance industrial and other economic activities in the country.
She added that with the presence of electricity and good roads, Liberians in every part of the country would be connected to one another and the feelings of marginalization and neglect would be erased.
She also stressed that the empowerment of the youth was of a great significance to the country. According to her, the World Bank has youth empowerment on its agenda as it liaises with the government in fostering the development of the post-war economy.
