U.S. Ambassador Deborah Malac and Liberian Government authorities Thursday (Dec 6) signed a US$9.1 million grant that will expand electricity supply to Monrovia and its environs, bringing the total U.S. Government support to Liberia’s post war electricity sector to at least US$50 million.
The LEC will use the money to purchase equipment and installation supplies to supply electricity to 7,000 new customers in downtown Monrovia and the Sinkor area.
Acting Finance Minister James Kollie and the Board Chair of the LEC Francis B. Cooper signed for the Liberian Government while Ambassador Malac signed for USAID, the agency through which her government is channeling the grant.
“It gives me great pleasure to be here today to mark the inauguration of a new and exciting partnership between the U.S. and Liberian Governments to link new customers to the Liberia Electricity Corporation’s expanding grid”, the U.S. Envoy stated.
She said her government understands that energy is front and center in the Liberian Government’s Agenda for Transformation (Vision 2030) which will be launched next week,” adding, ” Early in her tenure, President Sirleaf recognized that energy supply is key to balance economic growth and has made rehabilitation and expansion of the country’s energy infrastructure the government’s highest priority.”
Amb. Malac asserted that the U.S. Government is proud to support this high priority of the Sirleaf Administration. “The United States has been involved in helping restore electricity to Liberia since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accords in 2003. To date, we have invested over $50 million in the sector. We agree with the President that widely available and reasonably priced electricity is one of the central pillars on which Liberian development and prosperity will be built.”
With this new funding agreement, she furthered, the U.S. Government, through USAID, “will provide $9.1 million directly to the LEC to expand the electricity grid in Monrovia – both downtown and along Tubman Boulevard in Sinkor. This agreement will provide electrical service to 7,000 new customers – more than doubling the current number of customers.”