IPNEWS-Monrovia – Citizens and residents of Somalia Drive, Gradnesville, including the Paynesville suburb will soon find relief to high constraints experienced in daily transportation to central Monrovia, with the completion Somalia Drive highway shortly.
The newly constructed road which leads from the commercial district of Red Light into the Burshrod Island, Freeport Community, is a Japanese funded project.
As hopes are high for the completion of this major road, Japanese Ambassador accredited to Liberia, His Excellency HIMENO Tsutomu with residence in Ghana, at the head of a high-power Japanese delegation is visiting Liberia on a five day assessment visit beginning today Monday, March 1, 2021 to Friday, March 5, 2021.
According to release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Japanese Ambassador accredited to Liberia and delegation is expected to meet with His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia and an array of other government officials before departing Liberia.
Ambassador Tsutomu is accompanied by Ms. TERAGAKI Yuriya, First Secretary and Ms. UENO Hidemi, Coordinator of the Embassy.
The visit of Ambassador HIMENO and delegation is in two (2) fold, including conferring with President Weah on a number of diplomatic matters and Japan’s possible development cooperation projects as well as visiting the Japanese Counterpart Value Funded Projects in Liberia.
It may be recalled, the Government of Japan is financing a number of economic recovery projects under its KR Food Aid and Non-Project Grant Aid Programs in Liberia. These projects include, but not limited to, the construction of bridges in Deah, Tallah and Kaylia, in Grand Cape Mount, construction of warehouses in Nimba, Bong and Lofa Counties to address the perennial post-harvest storage challenges, the construction of 240 local housing units in Sasstown, Grand Kru County, the construction of Gorbarchop Market at the Omega Village Community and the on-going Duala Market Project, the opening of alleys along the Robertsfield Highway under the CIDP by the Ministry of Public Works, the Small Medium Enterprise development project at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as the Human Capacity Building Project at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others.
In addition to the Japanese Counterpart Value Funded Projects in Liberia, the Government of Japan is also a driver of major development efforts such as the Somalia Drive Highway that is expected to be renamed “Japan Highway”, support to the Ministry of Health to building a resilient health sector, and provision of 400 out boat motor engines to NaAFA.
