Ministerial Complex construction starts soon

Amid raised ‘eye-brows’ and lost aspirations among Liberians about the construction of a multi-million dollar ministerial complex, the Liberian Government may once more be raising and keeping their hopes alive.

At meeting chaired by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf a few days ago at the Foreign Ministry on Capitol Hill in Monrovia, one of the main ‘briefing points’ was the construction of the ministerial complex to host ten government ministries and agencies.

Members of the Liberian Cabinet, according to the Executive Mansion, were subsequently briefed on the arrival of the contractors in country for the project. The Chinese contractors will demobilize the existing new Defense Ministry structure in Congo Town – just opposite Peace Island where many had suggested the ministerial complex be built due to the available land space there.

The demobilization of the huge structure, according to the Executive Mansion, will pave the way for the construction of the Ministry Ministerial Complex in Congo Town outside Monrovia. The ministerial complex is estimated at US$60m, to be funded by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

The Agreement for the project was signed four years ago by former Foreign Minister Augustine Kpelle Ngafuan – representing Liberia, and former Chinese Ambassador Zhou Yuxao- representing the Chinese Government witnessed by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia.

The US$60m- Agreement for the construction of the ministerial complex was reached with the aimed of reducing the huge expenditure undertaken by the Liberian Government in rentals for public buildings owned or managed by relatives and friends of some government officials.

Former Public Works Minister Samuel Kofi Woods and current defense Minister Brownie J. Samukai had suggested the present location of the new defense Ministry structure in Cong Town as the site for the construction of the new ministerial complex, and that it would have cost the government US$4m to demolish/demobilize the structure.

But others preferred the money be used to resettle the inhabitants/occupants of Peace Island for the construction of the ministerial complex, with the hope that the presence of the complex would foster a link between Somalia Drive in Jacob Town and Tubman Boulevard in Congo Town.-Rewritten

by George Barpeen