It has been announced in Monrovia that electricity would soon be restored to the surroundings of Monrovia, something which has not been seen since the 1990s. Currently, central Monrovia and Sinkor are benefiting from the Emergency Power Program of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).

But one company that has expressed interest in providing electricity to the surroundings of the city is Buchanan Renewable Energies (BRE), one of the potential investors the Ellen-led administration has captured.

BRE’s Chief Executive Officer, Jim Steele said his company is making all efforts to provide electricity to the surroundings of Monrovia before 2010.

On Monday, July 14, 2008, he said the company will bring in its final equipment in October of this year, and that they hope to start operation. First, he said they embark on building of a station in Paynesville and later move throughout the County of Montserrado.

BRE, he said has earmarked a 35-Mega Watt Power for Monrovia to be fuelled by Liberian rubber wood chips. That plant, according to him, is expected to in be use for 25 years.

The construction of the plant and the entire project is valued at US$100m and that the project is intended to provide electricity to the less income because biomass is far less expensive than those using fuel and gasoline, Steele said.

Since the arrival of the company in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, it has spent about US$2.1m for the rehabilitation of the highway connecting Monrovia and Buchanan.

Last year, about US$7 equipments were brought into the country and. Later of this year they brought in US$8.7m worth of heavy duty equipment was brought into the country, an indication that they are prepared to take the country to another stage in their energy work, especially in biomass electricity, BRE Steele said.

According to BRE, fuel will directly come from rehabilitating Liberian rubber plantations, by replacing non-productive rubber trees, and/or replanting or supporting plantation owners to replant their property.

“Rubber trees are chipped and either sold into the export markets for energy for commercial and industrial applications. The company is also developing domestic demand for the chips as a source of fuel for electricity generation by projects developed by Buchanan Renewable power,” he said.

Europe-based Liberians Want Involvement In Development
By Aagon Gweh Linford/Jemael Kamara

Liberians living in Europe have ear-marked several development projects to be carried out in Liberia in the next few years by the European Federation of Liberia Associations (EFLA). The decision was reached recently during the annual convention of the European Federation of Liberian Associations (EFLA) in the French capital, Paris.

The Liberian Diaspora in Europe under the umbrella banner of European Federation of Liberia Association (EFLA) made several recommendations to governments, the international community and donor agencies that will support the fight against illiteracy in post war Liberia.

The first projects on the priority list for implementation include training of teachers and distribution of textbooks and materials to Liberian school.

Among the recommendations made at the two-day conference held in Paris, France were creating the opportunities for West-Africa Diasporas to play a pivotal role in rebuilding war ravaged West Africa; youth total involvement in reconstruction and ensuring cohesive relationship among Diaspora West Africans.

The conference placed emphasis on creating sense of awareness amongst institutions responsible for reconstruction and developments in West Africa.

The Liberian European Diaspora organized conference also recommended the mobilization of local populations affected by wars, both at home and abroad to initiate critical dialogue and explore ideas on how best society can garner concerted efforts to begin addressing the intricate issues of aid and assistance in the West African region.

The first international two-day conference held under the theme: “War-torn Africa: Emerging from humanitarian assistance to political and economic reconstruction” was held from June 27-28, 2008, brought together about 150 keynote speakers and delegates from different countries around the world, including universities, institution foundations, international NGOs as well as officials of some Liberians embassies in Europe.

The conference delegates discussed pertinent issues such as role of the Diaspora in their country, most especially Liberia. The various speakers and the round table discussions allowed the conference delegates to address several questions asked during the conference, and to make recommendations to the international community.

The University of Western Britannia which was partner to the conference has agreed to print out the recommendations in a form of booklet that could be used by various institutions around world. The second day of deliberations at the conference allowed EFLA to work on its five- year plans that will contribute to the development and reconstruction of Liberia.

The delegates voted unanimously to kick off the education project which will primarily focus on teacher trainings, counseling and donation of essential textbooks, educational and instructional materials to help tackle the growing demand of quality education in post-war Liberia. EFLA will also focus on health, agriculture and integration in her five- year development projects.

The Director of the Institute for Administration and Civil Service Studies (IPA) in Paris, Dr. Pierrick Le Jeune has pledged his organization’s support to EFLA’s development initiatives. Dr. Le Jeune told the conference delegates that his organization was prepared to work along with EFLA and assist with its development projects.

A proxy for Liberia’s Ambassador to the Court of St. James in England, Mr. Philip Gbadyue assured EFLA of government’s continued support, and at the same time the Minister Counselor at the Liberian Embassy in Paris, Miss Catherine Doe has praised Liberians in the Diaspora, especially in Europe for prioritizing the development of the country. Miss Doe represented Ambassador D. McKinley Thomas who was on an official mission outside of Paris at the time of the convention.

Meanwhile, the former Director for Agriculture at the African Development Bank, Dr George Taylor Lewis of Sierra Leone has called for greater participation of the youths in reconstruction post-war Liberia. Dr. Taylor Lewis noted stressed the importance of the role the youths can play in any society, noting that youth can serve as the catalysts of change in the society.

He called on EFLA to focus attention on the youths because according to him, the youths are the future leaders of Liberia and must be given the necessary facilities to obtain quality education.

Mr. Beniot Miribel, Director General of Foundation Mérieux spoke on the importance of NGOs role in the reconstruction process of post war countries.
For his part, Professor Viktor Bengtsson of Sweden says Liberia is back on the road to economic recovery according to recent statistics. Professor Bengtsson noted that Liberians can help their country recover economically from years of economic down trend as a result of the civil conflict.

The president of EFLA, Elvis G. Morris praised delegates at the conference and called for greater cooperation from Liberians in Europe to support projects that the organization has planned to undertake.

And said the Liberian European Diaspora must join hands with other Liberians around the world to help speed up the development and reconstruction programmed of their country. He said Liberians in the Diaspora could contribute to the brain drain of their country by working out modality with other international partner to implement programmed that will allow professional Liberian to return home.

Mr. Morris thanked the donor countries and organizations for their support to EFLA, and assured that EFLA will account for whatever assistance it will receive for any development purposes. He pointed out that various development projects earmarked by EFLA would span over a five-year period.

‘State Of Insecurity’ Worries NAYMOTE-Partners

NAYMOTE-Partners for Democratic Development is alarmed by the heightening insecurity prevailing in the country especially in Monrovia and its environs and calls on government to take urgent and concrete actions to guarantee the safety of its citizens.

The organization has observed that citizens and residents of the capital and its suburbs are frequently subjected to attacks from marauding arm gangs who heap both physical and mental injuries upon helpless victims and make away with their belongings.

NAYMOTE is concerned that this situation, if not decisively dealt with by the government, could further undermine national security and the fragile peace the country currently enjoys. It could also serve as disincentive to investment, break down the rule of law, and tumble our fledging democracy.

Accordingly, NAYMOTE condemns the habitual distressing of peaceful citizens by arm thieves and equally frowns on government’s apparent inability to provide adequate protection for the citizenry.

NAYMOTE-PADD recalls that few months back the then justice minister Frances Johnson Morris, in an implied admittance of government’s inability to adequately protect the citizenry, urged citizens to protect themselves by forming vigilante groups.

It does not consider it expedient that citizens be allowed to bear arms in order to protect themselves. However, given our recent history, we believe that the current wave of insecurity imposed by arm robbery and other dastardly acts leaves ordinary citizens with very little alternative when they have to protect themselves against armed criminals.

It believes that failure thus far by the Liberian government and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to institute appropriate actions to curb these criminal acts perpetrated against innocent citizens poses serious threat to the country’s democratic process.

The organization warns that unless government takes a more serious approach to confronting the current security threat evinced by arm robbery, very little can be desire from citizens, who are been urged to up holding the rule of law, even though they remained vulnerable to criminals nightly.

NAYMOTE-PADD believes that mere assurances, unaccompanied by concrete actions, would only encourage further lawlessness.

“If a true claim will be brought to the assertion that ‘this country is a country of laws, and not men’, government must first demonstrate and fulfill its responsibilities in protecting citizens’ right to life, the highest attainable mental and physical state of security,” NAYMOTE-PADD emphasizes.