By Alex Yomah
As part of the Presidential Citizen’s Engagement Tour, President George Weah has dedicated over 35 Pro-poor Housing Units in Grand Gedeh which among other things is aimed at taking citizens from huts to modern houses.
The Pro-poor Housing Units dedicated on Friday, February 18, 2021 is being funded by the Government and implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE).
The Pro-poor Housing Unit project initiative among other things is Weah’s direct project geared towards giving relief to people who are in dire need of homes across Liberia.
President Weah’s visit to Grand Gedeh was mainly to appreciate the people of that county for voting him in 2017 and to also listen to their plights through town hall meetings.
Speaking when the Liberian leader dedicated the first 10 housing units in Kpelleh Village, Grand Gedeh county, President Weah thanked LACE through its Director, Pepci Yekeh for making government agenda impact the lives of every citizen through the LACE.
The Liberian leader disclosed that one of his visions as President of the Republic of Liberia is to make history by helping to delete huts and replace them with modern houses, connect Liberia with paved roads among other developments.
The Previous Mud Houses
“Our vision and mission is to see people in the community who are faced with constraints to be relieved and restore their hopes,” President Weah said.
“Some of our citizens lived in huts that were dilapidated. There is nowhere for them to cook; they will have to get outside to cook most often, so I thought that under our agenda, we should give them facilities with everything inside the house. I am happy that LACE is making sure that this Pro- poor agenda works four people,” he said.
President Weah said, “Having an idea to do something and having people to drive the idea to success is another thing. I am glad that we have LACE through which we can help our people benefit from the Pro-poor Development and Prosperity.”
Speaking earlier, the head of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) thanked the President for reposing confidence in him and his team to be the ones implementing his government’s agenda through Community empowerment which among many things is one of his key priorities.”
“This Housing Unit you see here is your idea. I am just an implementer. So, the Housing Unit that you see here is just one of the 20 buildings you will see along the way. So, Mr. President, this is your vision, your dream and this is your mission; this is one of your projects; we say thank you very much,” Pepci Yekeh indicated.
Each of the Pro-poor Housing Units is comprised of 10 apartments. One unit has two apartments and each apartment contains two rooms, both front and back porches, living room, kitchen as well as bathroom.
The Housing units are built in the following location; ten of the units built in Kpelleh Village; seven Pro-poor Housing Units are erected in Old Tuzon while ten of the units are also constructed in Pelehzon Town and the last eight units are situated in Gbarbo Town respectively.
Giving technical details, LACE authority revealed that the five units dedicated by the President in total, is 35 Housing Units. Each of the units cost government US$13,500 multiplied by same amount, amounting to $67,500 United States Dollars.
At the meeting, the county termed the road beginning from Tappita to Zwedru as deplorable and urged President George Weah to consider it as national emergency for the people of Grand Gedeh County.
In response, President Weah assured Grand Gedeh citizens to construct the road leading from Tappita, Nimba County to Zwedru City which the citizens considered as the most difficult issue confronting them.
Upon touching the soil of Grand Gedeh County, President Weah broke ground for 160 bedroom referral hospital in the county funded by the Government of Liberia and Germany through the German Development Bank (GDB) and will be implemented by Welthungergilfe (WHH) Liberia.
The US$15.5 million project is in support of the government’s development agenda, the PAPD. It’s expected to benefit around 160,000 persons, and construction works will last for the duration of 48 months occupying an area of 8,513.84 square meters.
The Liberian leader took an hour plus to leave from where he was welcome to his guest house which was a stone throw distance due to the huge turnout on Friday as youths, chiefs, elders, students and women groupings jam-packed the streets of Zwedru to welcome the Liberian leader’s advent to the county.