MONROVIA- The Government of Liberia (GOL), through the Ministry of Public Works, in partnership with the World Bank, on Monday, October 21, 2024, concluded a one-day validation of the recently drafted Zoning Act of Liberia, which is expected to be signed by President Boakai on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
By Francis G. Boayue
Minister Hon. Roland Layfette Giddings, speaking at the opening ceremony of the validation on Monday, said the validation when concluded, is expected to reach President Boakai’s desk early Tuesday for signing and later send to the 55th Legislature for ratification and passage and later use to enforce the zoning laws across all parts of Liberia.
According to Minister Giddings, this new zoning law, when passed, would deal with some of the existing gaps in the structure of urban planning that should’ve taken place over many years in Liberia.
“With the enactment of this new zoning law, it is expected that all of us will collaboratively work together to ensure that we begin to change the landscape of our cities across Liberia, beginning with Monrovia,” Minister Giddings said.
Minister Giddings further asserted that Urban planning is very key to social economy development in any country that enhances economic growth, goods and services, environmental sustainability, and security and helps mitigate noise pollution in various communities.
The Draft Zoning Act Validation, introduced by the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) through the World Bank-financed Liberia Urban Resilience Project (LURP), is intended to address the numerous challenges and limitations presented by the current Zoning Law of Liberia, enacted in 1958.
The draft law, when ratified by the Legislature, would promote efficient and effective land development and management in Liberia and help to address the many zoning issues presently confronting the country.
The Liberia Urban Resilience Project/ Monrovia Integrated Development Project, with the theme: “BUILDING RESILIENT CITIES,” is led and implemented by the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) with the support of various government ministries, agencies, and townships. Stakeholders include the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MIA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), alongside the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC), the Liberia Land Authority, and the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services.
Monrovia–The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has ordered a reduction in the price floors for voice and data. The price reduction is a temporary measure in response to market conditions pending the completion later this year of an ongoing LTA cost study.
The price floor for voice has been lowered from 1.56 cents to 1.30 cents per minute, while the price floor for data has been reduced from 2.18 tenths of a cent to 1.53 tenths of a cent per megabyte.
In a release signed by the Acting Commissioner for International Gateway Services, Angela Cassell Bush, she stated that the price reduction for voice takes effect on 22 October while that for data comes into effect on 22 November.
She emphasized that the reduction in prices reflects the LTA’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of consumers while ensuring the competitiveness and sustainability of the telecommunications sector.
Said Madam Bush, “The price floors have been largely successful in restoring sector revenues and allowing operators to compete effectively. The soon-to-be-completed cost study by international consultants with financing from the World Bank will provide evidence-based tools for the LTA to update its price floor determination.”
Madam Bush further stressed that maintaining the price floor is crucial for encouraging telecom companies to invest in improving their network infrastructure, which in turn will enhance service quality and user experience.
Recently, during the daylong market study funded by the World Bank, Madam Buh said LTA’s responsibility is to monitor the telecommunications markets to assess the state of competition and to determine regulatory measures needed to prevent market failure and mitigate anti-competitive behavior and tendencies.
She told service providers that the market study would increase access to affordable high-speed broadband and promote the demand for broadband-enabled services and applications to stimulate growth in the wider economy.
She noted that the regulatory instruments and activities can only be effective if the LTA has the evidence-based tools to ensure that telecoms service providers and investors can be assured of a predictable and transparent regulatory environment, stressing that the review and provide input to two critical regulatory tools – a comprehensive analysis of the telecoms market, and the telecoms cost model.
“These tools give the LTA the basis for a fuller understanding of the dynamics of the telecoms market, how new technologies and services impact the market, and how regulatory interventions can be made to maintain a conducive environment for investment in the Liberian telecoms industry,” she stated.
