Liberia: US$100K Palm Oil Factory Dedicated in Bong

The people of Tobacco Farm in Panta, Bong County, now have a new Bio-Thermal Palm Oil Factory thanks to the efforts of the vice presidential candidate of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP), Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo.

Yarkpawolo’s Foundation for Development worked collaboratively with the Liberian Engineering groups to make this milestone a reality. The construction of the factory, which began in 2019 with support from friends both in and out of Liberia, aims to address the challenges faced by local farmers in processing their palm oil.

The LPP’s vice standard bearer shared that the estimated cost of constructing the Bio-Thermal Palm Oil Factory was around US$100,000. He mentioned plans to incorporate additional machines to enhance productivity in the oil palm sector, while also promising to bring a palm kernel oil machine and a modern soap-making machine to the area, enabling the people of Bong County to produce their own modern soap. 

He told rural farmers at the dedication of the factory on Monday, October 2, that additional machines would be added to the current ones in order to boost their productivity.

“After the elections me and my partners will be bringing a palm kana oil machine and a modern soap-making machine to help you people to start to produce modern soap in this County,” he said.

Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe, the political leader of the Liberian People’s Party, expressed gratitude to Dr. Yarkpawolo for the establishment of the factory. He emphasized that this initiative exemplifies the LPP’s commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector in Liberia.

He furthered that his government would improve the agriculture sector as well as education, health facilities, and road network, among others.

“We plan to invest substantially in the agricultural sector. We will invest in our people so that they can be empowered to increase their productivity,” he said.

Additionally, Cllr. Gongloe pledged to address the security concerns faced by Liberian citizens under the current leadership and to support education by assisting both public and private schools across the country. He also highlighted plans to invest in vocational schools, improve road networks, empower women, and create job opportunities for Liberians.

“Under an LPP leadership, we will combat the insecure life Liberian citizens are enduring under the Weah-Taylor leadership,” Gongloe said. “We will support both public and private schools across the country to help the government in educating its citizens.

“The issues of vocational schools, good road networks, women empowerment, and job opportunities for Liberians, amongst others, are things our administration will work on if elected,” he added. “We will also cut off the issue of graduation fees being paid by parents.”

The dedication ceremony of the Bio-Thermal Palm Oil Factory was well attended by prominent individuals, local traditional leaders, and citizens of Panta District. The farmers expressed their appreciation to Yarkpawolo and his partners for the initiative, recognizing it as a significant boost for the agricultural sector in their community.