Liberia-President Joseph Boakai returned home Wednesday to a tumultuous reception at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) following week-long trip that took him and dozens of government officials to China and Indonesia.
As a show of love, support and loyalty to President Boakai, dozens of Liberians, defying all odds, converged at the Airport to give the man in whom they trust rousing welcome, as an expression of appreciation for his effective representation of the country on the international stage, which he used to push for investment opportunities coupled with development aid.
The Liberian leader could not wait, however, to loosen his loaded package, to tell citizens that spending their money to make the trip to Indonesia and China was not a waste, as he has returned with a huge package that could turn Liberia’s fortunes around, saying that a new Liberia is in the making.
Appreciating the Thanksgiving Service organized in his honor at the Effort Baptist Church, a church of his membership, President Boakai said his trip was completely loaded with good opportunities for the country, repeatedly echoing “Hope Is Here,” in reference to the numerous development packages China has promised.
Amongst litany of China’s gestures, President Boakai named the waiver of the country’s debt of $6.6 Million by China, $13 Million dollars of loan for agriculture equipment and implements, rehabilitation and expansion of ELBC to enable it covers the entire Country.
Apart from that, President Boakai announced that China has accepted to fund construction of a modern bridge connecting 12th Street in Sinkor to the Japanese Freeway, in Gardnersville, in addition to $60 Million for the implementation of an overhead bridge from the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town to the SKD Boulevard respectively.
Liberians are not strangers to news concerning the building of an overhead bridge from the Ministerial Complex to SKD Boulevard, as the former government made frantic efforts to undertake similar project but was unsuccessful reportedly due to diplomatic fallouts between the two governments. The Weah government was alleged to have gone against China interest in favor of the United States during a significant vote.
President Boakai also disclosed that China has agreed and committed itself to the implementation of the national grid line modernization, as well as the construction of a 75mega watts solar power plant in Bomi County, along with a promise to make solid interventions in other key sectors, including road, energy and infrastructure development, and many others.
As he has always done when opportune to speak to the nation, the President used the Thanksgiving Service gathering to reassured Liberians of his government’s readiness to build a new Liberia.
He however told the nation that his government is awaiting the responses from all these good promises, while he also praised Liberians for being resilient over the years despite the many unfortunate circumstances that have been befallen them.
The President also wooed other good and honest people to come and work with his government to transform the country, stressing “Our doors are open to good and honest people.”
While in China, the government reached understanding sIn the wake of the fruitful trips from China and Indonesia of which the people are excited about, they are also hopeful of the practical implementation for the Country in the coming months and years ahead.
While Liberians have reasons to celebrate the good news shared by their President, they will also be concerned about how the government is thinking to navigate between China and the United States, which is the country’s all-time ally that has made enormous contributions to national development drive since its founding.
Protecting America’s interest denied the Weah government the opportunity to undertake the problem, which was actually engineered by the Ellen-Sirleaf administration but could not be executed due to different bottlenecks, including removing houses that fell in the design plan.
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