Monrovia, Liberia — The Liberian-Swedish Access Driven Rural Development Program (LISA) has extended its project by two years, moving into the third phase of the initiative.
This effort coincides with the construction of Village Access Roads (VARs) and the maintenance of feeder roads, aiming to significantly improve rural infrastructure and livelihoods to rural Liberia.
The program will strengthen the capacity of county administrations to conduct road maintenance, in line with the Government of Liberia's decentralization policy.
Through collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and local contractors, LISA will ensure sustainable road maintenance practices.
Speaking at the extension of LISA on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Tanneh Brunson highlighted the economic returns associated with the construction of feeder roads in the country.
"This Project comes at the point where we are beginning to roll out the decentralization of the Local Government Development Plan, and Agriculture is a key Deliverable of this Administration", she stressed.
Madam Brunson pointed out that the construction of the Village Access Roads will create an enabling environment for cash injection into the local economy by leveraging labor-based efforts of community dwellers.
The Project is valued at approximately Five Million United States Dollars, and it aims to improve, within two years, 195 kilometers of Village Access Roads in Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties with a goal to booster the standard of living in these rural communities, thereby reducing poverty.
Since 2009, the Liberian-Swedish Feeder Roads Project (LSFRP) has improved 1,000 km of roads across all project phases.
The routine maintenance of these roads will be conducted by community-based organizations (CBOs), fostering local engagement and ownership.
During his special remarks at the event, Swedish Ambassador to Monrovia, H.E. Urban Sjostrom, praised the Liberian Government for their strong partnership, which began in 2008 with the construction of several feeder roads throughout the country.
He emphasized that the Government of Sweden remains committed to supporting Liberia's road development efforts, which aim to improve access to rural roads and enhance farm-to-market road corridors.
Ambassador Sjostrom also highlighted the successful implementation of the Liberian-Swedish Feeder Roads Project III, which primarily focused on constructing Village Access Roads (VAR), also known as "Track Roads."
In his response, Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings expressed his gratitude to the Government and People of Sweden for their continued support of Liberia's national development, particularly in road infrastructure.
Minister Giddings noted that the launch of the Liberian Swedish Access Driven Rural Development Project (LISA) aligns with the Government of Liberia's ARREST AGENDA, where road connectivity is a crucial component.
The Liberian Works Minister thanked the Swedish Government for their support and reaffirmed the Ministry's unwavering commitment to implementing the project.
Upgrading footpaths to village access roads will have a profound economic, social, and environmental impact, surpassing the benefits of improving unpaved feeder, secondary, and main roads across the three Liberian counties. LISA will provide technical and social support to Community Based Organizations (CBOs), enabling them to implement their community maintenance action plans effectively.