Nimba County – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has called for a deliberate, people-centered rebuilding of Liberia’s infrastructure, describing it as essential to national healing, economic growth, and social dignity.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh | websterclayeh@frontpageafricaonline.com
Speaking in Nimba County at the opening of the National Infrastructure Conference, President Boakai welcomed participants to what he called Liberia’s historic mining hub and said the conference was convened out of deep concern over the deteriorated state of the country’s infrastructure—much of it a lingering legacy of years of civil conflict.
“This conference has been in the making for nearly two years,” President Boakai said. “It reflects a forward-thinking approach to shaping the future of Liberia’s infrastructure landscape.”
The President noted that roads, public buildings, electricity systems, water and sanitation facilities, and housing across the country have suffered prolonged neglect, imposing daily hardship on citizens and constraining economic growth. While recent efforts have begun to “stop the rot,” he stressed that far more must be done.
Quoting Indian politician Rahul Gandhi and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, President Boakai said infrastructure development goes beyond physical assets.
“Infrastructure must have a human face,” he said, emphasizing that roads, bridges, energy, and water systems are lifelines that shape opportunity, productivity, and national confidence.
“We should see roads and bridges beyond concrete and steel,” the President added. “They are about people, dignity, and the future of our nation.”
Boakai said Liberia’s post-conflict reality makes infrastructure rebuilding even more urgent, describing it as both a development priority and an act of national healing. He urged the country not only to rebuild, but to “build back and build better.”
According to the President, modern infrastructure must be globally competitive, resilient to climate change, capable of creating jobs, stimulating industry, promoting equity, and fostering a cohesive society where no one is left behind.
He said the conference aligns with his Administration’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, Africa’s Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals, and called for coordinated, long-term infrastructure planning driven by innovation and technology rather than fragmented, short-term fixes.
“This moment demands readiness—of our institutions, our policies, and our leadership,” Boakai declared, describing the National Infrastructure Conference as a national call to action.
In closing, the President referenced former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, saying, “We will be wealthy and prosperous when our infrastructure is good.”
President Boakai thanked the Ministry of Public Works, international partners, and stakeholders for organizing the conference, and expressed appreciation to local and international participants for contributing to what he described as an important national conversation.
The post President Boakai Calls for Bold Infrastructure Rebuild as Liberia Opens National Conference in Nimba appeared first on FrontPageAfrica.
Leave a Reply