Ellen praises stronger China support

President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf says she is thankful to Chinese Amb. Zhang Yue, and through him, to Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping for the continued support provided Liberia and the partnership that “continues to grow stronger and stronger between China and Liberia”.

Mrs. Sirleaf was speaking Thursday, 27 April at the construction site of a US$60m China – aid Ministerial Complex in Congo Town before breaking grounds to the project that has already been ongoing.

She says Liberia is so thankful to China for bringing great relief to many of Liberia’s entities that today work at facilities that were built so many years back and had not been upgraded to today’s standards.

“… And China we are so thankful for …[bringing] great relief to many of our entities that today work at facilities that require a more modern … assistance than we now have because the structures they are in have been built so many years ago and have not been upgraded to
today’s standards”, she says.

Mrs. Sirleaf recalled Amb. Yue’s assurance to her that the Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping made a commitment to get the project done, in reference to the Ministerial Complex that is expected to host some ten ministries and agencies here.

Mrs. Sirleaf has also acknowledged ongoing Chinese aid construction of Annexes to the Capitol Building, noting that the Chinese authorities have assured “quality and speed of China”.

She also thanked all of those who have worked very hard to get the project going; particularly the Ministry of Public Works that she says has had to struggle with it.Earlier speaking, Chinese Amb. Mr. Zhang Yue said the Ministerial Complex with a total construction area of 24,000 square meters, is designed to accommodate at least 1,300 people.

Amb. Yue says the Complex includes offices, meeting rooms, auditorium, multi-function hall, archives, canteen and auxiliary facilities such as water pump house, power distribution and generator room.

Concerning the two Annexes at the Capitol Building, Amb. Yue says the total construction area is 7,300 square meters, and will accommodate at least 400 people. He says there will be more than 400 Liberian workers to join in the construction of the two projects, while a special technical team from the Ministry of Public Works is working closely with the Chinese engineers during the whole process in order to know everything specific about the buildings for better operation and maintenance.

By Winston W. parley-Edited by Othello B. Garblah