By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, Liberia, February 21, 2025 –The Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), European Union, and other development partners, has concluded the First Steering Committee Meeting on the “Rural Electrification Prioritizing South-East Liberia” Project or LIGHT UP SOUTH-EAST (LUSE). The project aims to provide solar electricity for three of Liberia’s fifteen counties.
Implementation of the LUSE project will provide solar electricity to Buchanan, Greenville and Barclayville to ensure that access to sustainable electricity is achievable.
The first steering committee exclusive round-table meeting was held on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in the Second Floor Conference Room of the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning (MFDP).
The project is funded by Global Gateway of the European Union in partnership with the Government of Liberia. During the closed-door meeting, which brought together development partners, and government officials, stakeholders made presentations on various phases of implementation.
On behalf of the Government of Liberia, Acting Finance and Development Planning Minister Anthony Myers, described the endeavor as a roadmap that has so many positives for Liberia and the government in various dimensions, while pointing out the significance of the project with respect to the Government’s ARREST Agenda for inclusive Development (AAID).
Mr. Myers stated that at the policy level and given the project’s largely solar energy-based composition, this will help the government meet its key international obligations, including environmental and carbon targets, as it will have less environmental impact while boosting trade, local business development, investment, and security and mitigating crimes.
He noted that everyone is aware that the southeastern region of Liberia has been marginalized not as a deliberate act of some politicians or influential group, but due to geographic isolation, outlining that the region has been left behind in terms of infrastructural development, roads, electricity and economy opportunities.
“So, with respect to inclusion, the Government of Liberia having an inclusive agenda to give balanced development across the country, the Global Gateway and the EU funding this project is helping the government to achieve that goal, and we want to say thanks to our Development Partners. We are grateful for this project because it will uncork some of the key binding constrains the region is facing.” He added.
Minister Myers described Electricity as a critical tool for kick-starting economic progress and sectorial growth, quarrelling that the ARREST Agenda is not achievable without Electricity and the Southeast region has all those listed in the ARREST Agenda, especially tourism.
In reaction to this milestone interaction with Liberia’s Development Partners, the
The Acting Managing Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation Thomas Zailee Gonkerwon, expressed contentment about the meeting and praised all the Stakeholders, calling on the parties to continue their commitment to the Rural Electrification Project, moving forward.
European Union Ambassador to Liberia, Nona Deprez, expressed excitement and appreciation for the first steering committee meeting, describing it as a milestone and step to addressing electricity challenge and minimizing environmental waste and pollution through solar energy.
“This Project costs 42 million Euros and it will be implemented in the counties listed. We are doing this to help health facilities and businesses in those counties. I hope that everyone will respect the set deadline. The European Union and Liberia shared a very common development interest and with this government in many sectors but particularly in the Energy Sector with regards to this project. Meeting here today, I’m really proud to announce that recently we have successfully completed a new project of US$52 million Euro for Transmission and Distribution of Electricity, ensuring 42,000 households in greater Monrovia have access to electricity,” she concluded.
Mr. Samuel Nagbe, Executive Director of the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA), expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the European Union, among others, for the round-table meeting.
This is going to allow us now to finally make sure that citizens in the targeted counties finally have access to electricity. It’s also important that we stress that under Article 2.2 of the Financing Agreement, it clearly states that “All the funds disbursed by the Commission are exempt from covering operations costs, especially for those that we are involved with. Also, under this Agreement, the Government commits that they will cover those costs’’ he pointed out. Editing by Jonathan Browne
