SUAKOKO, Bong – The United States aid agency, USAID, has dedicated and turned over a library and five staff housing units to Cuttington University.

The dedicatory ceremony took place on Thursday, May 30 as part of USAID’s Sustainable High Impact Infrastructure for Education and Agriculture or SHINE project, an initiative aimed at rebuilding the country’s damaged infrastructure after the civil war.

The SHINE project also aims to expand existing infrastructure and construct new vertical structures in six highly populated counties that surround the country’s key development corridors, including Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Margibi, Lofa, and Montserrado.

Construction of new staff housing units and the expansion of the library at Cuttington, as well as the construction of a new annex for the Liberia Institute of Public Administration or LIPA are among activities considered under the current phase of the project.

USAID Mission Director Anthony Chan put the cost of the new housing facilities and the extension of the library at US$215,000 and US$266,631, respectively.

According to Chan, the initiative is part of several development projects being undertaken by the agency as gifts to the people of Liberia. He said the agency had previously renovated the science and technology complex of the University of Liberia in Fendell and promised to continue to work with the private sector and development partners in delivering more assistance that impacts the lives of ordinary Liberians.

“USAID will provide scholarships and capacity building training for Liberians in the sciences and is currently constructing a multi-purpose facility to serve as the future home of the Liberia Institute of Public Administration, LIPA, on the Robertsfield Highway,” he disclosed.

USAID mission director Anthony Chan presents of newly constructed facilities. Photo: Jutonu Kollie

The USAID mission director also praised the administration, faculty, and students of Cuttington for their cooperation that led to the successful completion of the projects. He admonished them to maintain the facilities and make proper use of them.

Jacob Fayad, the chief of party for the SHINE project, also praised the contractors for their timely completion of construction. Fayad noted that each of the five housing units contains two bedrooms and will be used to house international and visiting professors at the university.

The university’s vice president for administration, Orea Wright, who received the keys of the facilities on behalf of the administration, thanked the United States for its continuous assistance to Liberians, particularly Cuttington University.

Wright encouraged students of the university to take advantage of the library to enhance their studies.

The SHINE project also recently provided an electrical distribution system to Cuttington and equipped two science complexes at the Lofa and Nimba County Community Colleges.

Another construction is currently ongoing for a science and technology complex at the Grand Bassa County Community College in Buchanan.

Featured photo by Jutonu Kollie