Monrovia – The House of Representatives has voted to ratify a loan agreement that will allow the government to credit over US$7 million to help provide pipe borne water to several communities in Monrovia and its environs.
The government will sign the agreement with International Development Association.
Members of the House vote to ratify the agreement based on a report submitted to plenary by the joint committees on State Enterprises, Public Autonomous Commission and Agencies, ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, public utilities, and Judiciary.
The joint committee report stated they gathered expert opinions from experts in the legal and financial sector and conducted public hearing to inform its thought pattern towards the agreement and additional researches were conducted to ensure that the agreement met international best practice.
Lawmakers including Representative James Biney, Bhofal Chambers, Acarous Gray and Edward Forh of Maryland and Montserrado Counties voted against the passage of the ratification but 38 lawmakers to pass the bill.
The project activities, according to the agreement will be in two phases: the infrastructure improvement which focuses on the rehabilitation and improvement of the existing water distribution network in the targeted network areas and acquisition and installation of bulk meter across the network and the extension of the transmission and the distribution network in the targeted network areas, including through extended transmission line, kiosks and standpipes.
The total package of the project is US$10 million.
The total amount of US$7.9 is considered for the work while US$0.9million is being projected for the project implementation unit (PIU) and US$1.2 million is apportioned for capacity building.
In the report the committee said, they were focused on the general content of the financial agreement and the benefits that would be accrued by the Liberian people.
“As the government of Liberia seeks to credit an amount equivalent to US$7,300,000 special drawing right considerable effort was made by the joint committee to ensure that terms and conditions are favorable and beneficial to the government’s desire to provide pipe water to urban communities; especially within the Monrovia area,” the report states.
Areas to benefit from the project include; Gardersville, Bernesville Estate, SKD boulevard, Robertfield highway, Kakata highway. It is expected that ten thousand new domestic connections will be made; including 120 schools connection, and 45 health facilities.
Phase two of the project, according to the committee, will provide capacity building to the Liberia Water & Sewer Corporation by strengthening the project implementation, entity’s capacity to sustain and expand its services.
