GANTA, Nimba – Former Nimba superintendent, Edith Gongloe-Weh, has welcomed the move by the George Weah administration to negotiate two separate loans for the pavement of roads in the country, but she is calling on Nimba to benefit more from the loans.
President Weah signed into law two loan agreements – the US$536.4 million Eton Finance loan and the US$420 million road financing agreement between the government and the Burkinabe company, EBOMAF. The two loans are intended to facilitate the construction of paved roads to connect southeastern counties and paved roads and bridges in Monrovia and other major corridors of the country’s interior. In Nimba, one of the loan is expected to help pave the road from Tappita to Zwedru.
Officials from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning have said they expect government revenues to increase by US$300 million by the time the first payments of the loans are due, with most of the increase coming from increased trade and better agricultural outputs, among others.
Speaking to Radio Kerhgeamahn from the U.S., Gongloe-Weh said the repayment of the loan would largely be financed from natural resources that would be extracted from Nimba.
“When it comes to the loan that the government of Liberia has already ratified, I want to say to the government through this medium – we prayed and plead that Nimba benefit immensely from this loan,” she said. “Because, when it comes back to repayment, bulk of the revenue generation of Liberia, relies on Nimba County.”
Nimba is the second most populous county, and as such, Gongloe-Weh is calling on the government to invest a larger portion of the secured loan in the connection of major roads in the county.
“The loan is for road construction and connectivity throughout Liberia,” she said. “We are pleading that that loan impact most of our citizens – we are calling on the government to think about laying out most of our cities and paving them; the fact that we are going to pay back, I hope that we can benefit hugely from that.”
Gongloe-Weh said she is ensuring that her call reaches the lawmakers who are the direct representatives of the larger population to ensure that the loan benefits the people and used for the intended purpose.
“Look at how much Nimba generates from the Ganta port of entry; and the Luoguatuo port of entry – we contribute immensely to the national government. The natural resources – the iron ore, the diamond, the timber, the rubber – we are the central nerve of the government of Liberia.”
Gongloe-Weh said the nation stands to benefit from increased productivity from the ordinary people, should the roads be paved and streets layout. The former superintendent, who previously ran unsuccessfully for senator of Nimba in 2011 and 2014, has promised again to contest for the senatorial seat in 2020.
Featured photo: Gongloe-Weh Facebook Page
