Monrovia- January 13, 2023: The government of Liberia says, President George Manneh Weah has made significant progress since taking office in 2018 in all areas of the nation, including health, education, youth development, gender equality, and social protection, as well as microeconomic growth (monetary and fiscal policies), food and fuel price stability, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and forestry, poverty and growth profile, human rights and the rule of law, national security, social inclusion, and traditional practices.
- HEALTH:
√ The Construction of the Emirates Hospital in Western Liberia ( Gbapolu County).
√ The construction of the 14 Military hospital and eight hospitals in southeast Liberia.
√ Ongoing construction of the Redemption Hospital in Caldwell.
√ Increment in doctors’ monthly salary from US$700 to US$2,000.
√ The addition of 2,500 health workers to the government payroll after the Donors Health Pool dried up.
√ Provided specialist training for more than fifty (50) doctors.
√ Regularization and increment of salaries for over 500 supplementary health workers.
√ Vaccinated over 80% of Liberians against COVID-19, and 3rd best performance in containing COVID-19 in West Africa and 7th best in Africa.
√ Provided advanced home-based specialist training for over 101 doctors.
- EDUCATION:
√ The provision of Free Public University /college education benefiting over 30,000 students yearly.
√ Free WASSCE that benefits more than 80,000 students yearly (Grades 9 & 12).
√ Commenced the construction of 28 High Schools and 18 Early Childhood Schools.
√ Gave 3,500 supplementary teachers permanent status on the government payroll.
√ Increased the salary of 3,500 supplementary teachers from L$8,000 to US$125.
√ Added 1,300 teachers and guidance counselors to the Government payroll.
√ Digitization of the University of Liberia and registration.
- YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, GENDER & SOCIAL PROTECTION:
√ Constructed the Invincible Park and renovated all major Sports Pack in the country.
√ Renovated SKD stadium for US$3 million
√ Invested in TVET in six counties and expanded to all 15 counties.
√ Invested over US$1 Million in transforming At-Risk Youths.
√ Invested in SGBV roadmap and established a task force and Call Center for an effective reporting system.
√ Improved reporting on rape cases, which is mistaken for an increase in rape cases.
√Build Trust with Traditional Leaders on Female Genital Mutilation.
- MICROECONOMIC STABILITY & GROWTH – MONETARY & FISCAL POLICIES:
√ Re-established macro stability after inheriting a weak macro foundation.
√ Reformed governance at the Central Bank of Liberia, giving credibility to the new Central Bank of Liberia.
√ Rebuilt and protected net international reserves.
√ Undertook a reform of the Liberian currency, with the printing of L$48 billion including coins.
√ Established a remarkable exchange rate stability.
√ Brought down inflation from a high of 30% to 7%, the fastest inflation collapses recorded in the history of Liberia.
√ Raised the highest level of domestic revenue and passed the biggest-ever national budget recorded in history in 2022.
√ Recognized hidden debt to the Central Bank of Liberia; fixed and rationalized total debt to the CBL.
√ Resolved all legacy debt owed by the previous government to banks and the private sector and increased Government credit rating.
√ Stabilized the financial sector on the brink of insolvency from poor regulatory oversight.
√ Ended borrowing from the CBL to pay salaries.
√ Reformed a broken wage system thereby saving US$32 million annually.
√ Reformed the salary of 15,000 government workers during harmonization.
√ Reformed the salary of 13,000 government workers since and after harmonization.
- RICE PRICE STABILITY:
√ Kept the price of rice at US$13 per 25kg bag for almost five (5) years.
Forfeited over US$10 million in revenue annually in fuel taxes to keep fuel prices low due to COVID and Ukraine war.
√ Spent US$14 million over 2 budget years to support the import of rice due to COVID and the Ukraine war.
- FUEL & ENERGY PRICES STABILITY:
√ Connected 140,000 households or 800,000 people to the LEC grid since 2018.
√ Invested more than US $65 million to bring the electrify from Cote D’Ivore through the CLSG lines.
√ Reduced the cost of electricity from U$35 cents per kilowatt hour to US 21 cents per kilowatt hour.
- INFRASTRUCTURE & ROAD:
√ Built more than 233 km of primary roads between 2018 – 2022.
Connected Ganta – Harper by paved road.
√ Constructed more than 116 km of urban community roads.
√ Commenced construction of the RIA highway.
√ Constructed more than 620 km of primary and urban roads.
√ Built several new government offices: NPA, LPRC, Maritime, NAFA,A, etc.
√ Made the APM Terminal Concession work better for Liberians by revisiting and amending clauses in the previous agreement.
- AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY:
√ Started the provision of agricultural grants to over 60,000 farmers.
√ Completed more than 200 km of feeder roads to strengthen agriculture.
√ Placed Liberia’s forest reserves at the center of the climate change agenda.
- POVERTY & GROWTH PROFILE:
√ Achieved a growth of 5% in 2022:medium-term outlook could reach 6%.
Reduced extreme poverty by 8 % over last year, data from World Poverty Lab.
- PEACE, HUMAN RIGHTS & THE RULE OF LAW:
√ Support the expansion of courts throughout the country.
√ ZERO political prisoners.
√Enacted and signed the Dual Citizens law, which protects natural born Liberians.
- PUBLIC SAFETY & NATIONAL SECURITY:
√ Increased the budget of the army by US$ 4 Million in FY 2022.
√ Ended the cutting of soldiers pay by 20% to support Mali Peace Mission.
√ Repaid US$1.1 million of soldiers money.
√ Improved soldiers living condition through Barrack renovation.
√ Increased the force strength of the AFL.
√ Increased the force strength of the LNP.
√ Increased the LNP budget by more than US$3 million in FY 2022.
√ Added additional logistics for the LNP to enable better combat crime.
√ Invested in new uniforms for the LNP in FY 2022.
√ Built and equipped a modern high capacity and capable police force.
√ Procured more than 10 fire trucks and capacitating the Liberia National Fire Service. First five trucks arrived in Dec 2022.
√ Continued crack down on illicit drugs including LDEA busting a major cocaine cartel.
- SOCIAL INCLUSION & TRADITIONAL GOVERNANCE:
√ Constructed more than 20 new market buildings for our mothers across the 15 counties.
√ Constructed more than 1000 pro-poor homes across the 15 counties and undertaking multiple projects.
√ Provided logistics, vehicles and motorbikes to Liberia’s traditional leadership across the 15 counties.
- PUBLIC AUDIT, DECENTRALIZATION & REVENUE SHARING:
√ Restored the budget of the GAC to levels before the macroeconomic shock and planning more support.
√ Improved the audit of the government revenue account through better financial records.
√ Ended disclaimers on government revenue account and moving toward better audit.
√ Conducted government payroll audit which promises to save millions and end payroll fraud.
√ Conducted of domestic debt audit could save tens of millions and rationalize the domestic debt space.
√ Revised the LACC law and availing more powers to the LACC to fight corruption , waste, fraud abuse.
√ Proposed to increase the budget of the new LACC to its highest level ever.
√ Passed the whistle blower, witness protection, and the new anti-money laundering laws.
√ Passed and supported the decentralization and revenue sharing laws for rural Liberia.
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