The updates were provided Thursday by Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Jerolinmek M. Piah, during the Ministry’s regular press briefing.

Major Infrastructure Push

Minister Piah identified infrastructure as a central pillar of the government’s development agenda. He reported significant progress on the long-neglected Bolahun Junction–Babo Road in Lofa County, which has been impassable for six years cutting residents off from basic services, trade routes, and economic opportunities.

“The road is not paved, but it has become totally unusable,” Piah explained. “Since coming to power, the government began restoring natural road conditions to ensure vehicles can move without getting stuck.”

A groundbreaking ceremony for the full construction of the Babo Road is scheduled for Friday at Bolahun Junction. Local communities, who have long endured isolation due to the road’s deterioration, see the project as a transformative step expected to revive trade, attract investment, and improve livelihoods throughout the region.

Strengthening National Security and Public Safety.

On national security, Minister Piah highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), calling the institution “a force for good.” Several traditional units have been reactivated, including the Engineering Battalion, which became fully operational earlier this year. The Agricultural Battalion—activated on February 6, 2025, under Major General David Singh—recently completed its first post-war storm-rescue mission and has begun producing farm harvests on a three-month cycle, with full output expected by year’s end.
“These initiatives strengthen food security, improve military training, and build self-reliance,” Piah noted.

On the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.

The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency also reported significant breakthroughs in its fight against illegal drugs. Recent seizures include 3.43 units of cocaine valued at US$183,804; 9,377.98 units of marijuana valued at US$741,500; 108.46 units of tramadol worth US$373,854.99; and 2.14 units of drug precursors valued at US$4.4 million.

“Drug traffickers are determined to destroy the young generation. Liberia faces a real threat if urgent action is not taken,” Piah warned.
He outlined the LDEA’s 2026 strategic plan, which includes the procurement of new vehicles, recruitment of 200 additional officers, and a multi-sectoral approach integrating law enforcement, health, and education. Youth-focused outreach programs are also planned, targeting more than 100,000 at-risk young people nationwide.

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The initiative will include a “Train-the-Trainer” program designed to equip driving instructors with the skills to train car and motorcycle drivers across the country.

NASAPAL, a local nonprofit organization committed to promoting road safety awareness, is spearheading this initiative as part of its broader mission to enhance public safety nationwide.

WoGeS Holdings, through its subsidiary—the Liberia Motorcycle Safety Training Program (LIBMSP)—will collaborate with certified driver training schools across Liberia to deliver high-impact, life-saving education.

Speaking to reporters over the weekend via mobile phone, Mr. Woods shared that he has reached a major milestone in his long-standing effort to lobby for the implementation of world-class safety practices in Liberia.

He recently attended the State Motorcycle Safety Association (SMSA) conference in the United States, which brings together motorcycle safety training entities from all 50 U.S. states.

At the event, he raised global awareness about the crisis of road violence in Liberia.

As part of this ongoing effort, Mr. Woods has secured a strategic partnership with the U.S.-based Total Control Training, Inc. (TCTI), a leading developer of motorcycle safety curricula.

The CEO of TCTI, Mr. Lee Parks—a retired professional motorcycle racer and global trainer—has expressed his commitment to supporting Liberia’s safety goals. Details of this partnership will be released soon.

“According to global statistics from the United Nations, more than 1.3 million people lose their lives to road accidents every year. Liberia is no exception, and the time to act is now,” said Mr. Woods.

He stressed the importance of a holistic, stakeholder-driven approach involving both national and international partners to effectively tackle the road safety crisis.

“I made a commitment back in 2011 after discovering the immense potential of U.S.-style training programs. Now, I must give Liberia the best possible tools to fight preventable road violence,” he added.

Mr. Woods also called on the Liberian government and citizens to support safety awareness and training initiatives, noting that such programs require significant financial and logistical investment.

He commended the Boakai administration for introducing Liberia’s road safety curriculum into the national school system, a critical step toward long-term behavioral change.

“I hope the Unity Party government strengthens its commitment to a vibrant Public-Private Partnership (PPP) environment—first introduced in 2006—which encourages citizen-led development and allows organizations like NASAPAL and LIBMSP to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national progress.”

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Foreign Minister Beysolow Nyanti expressed how intrigued she was when she listened to Ambassador George W. Wallace say that the table was not superficial; rather, it was a table that reflected diplomacy at its heart, where they were speaking to decades of relationships and decades of impacts that Japan has had on Liberia.

As noted by Foreign Minister Beysolow Nyanti, the signing of an infrastructure development agreement today is evidence of Japan’s overall interest in Liberia, as is the presence of season diplomats or leaders who have profited from Japan’s investment in the country. The current friendship between Liberia and Japan will be further strengthened, she promised the ambassador and his delegation.

The team was advised by the Dean of the Cabinet that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has indicated that roads, sanitation, education, agriculture, and tourism are among the priorities. The main point of all of this is that agriculture will be useless if women cannot access highways.

The Liberian chief diplomat noted that the Government of Japan has demonstrated that she is not here for the short term but rather for the long term, and the signing is a manifestation of that, and Liberia looks forward to deepening that relationship.

On Monday, March 5, 2024, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Beysolow Nyanti stated during the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreement signing ceremony for the extension of the Japan Freeway, the road corridor between the Freeport of Monrovia and the Gabriel Tucker Bridge. These social and economic infrastructures are intended to create jobs, generate income, and provide sustainable livelihoods beyond aid.

According to Mr. Mochizuki Hisanobu, the Japanese ambassador to Liberia, the Japanese government recognizes the significance of this project for the country, which is why the Japanese Parliament is making every effort to finish the last procedures and allow the project to start.

Ambassador Hisanobu stated that Japan recognizes the significance of building a strong infrastructure foundation and the potential role it may play in promoting and stimulating the economy. He said that today’s signing ceremony for the detailed design is necessary in order for JICA and the project’s consultant to have all of the information they need to help the Parliament finish its internal procedures.

The development of infrastructure in Africa has been a central focus of the Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD), as Ambassador Hisanobu emphasized. Japan has always vowed to support the infrastructure development of Africa.

At the bilateral level, one of the main tenets of Japan-Liberia cooperation, according to Ambassador Hisanobu, is the development of infrastructure. “In 2013 and 2016, respectively, we started building on Phases 1 and 2 of the former Somali Drive, which is now known as the Japan Freeway.

The effective completion of these two stages may be attributed to the collaboration between JICA and the Ministry of Public Works in Liberia. As stated by Ambassador Hisanobu, “Today we are formalizing another procedure that will build upon the high-quality Phases 1 and 2 of the Japan Freeway.”

As Liberia continues to meet its development targets, the Japanese Ambassador stated that more development projects and technical support will be required to realize this vision. He noted that the bilateral cooperation between Japan and Liberia has witnessed the actualization of various key technical support and infrastructure developments over the years.

As the link between Liberia’s downtown and the Freeport, the 1.9-kilometer stretch of the project’s rehabilitation from the west end of the Japan Freeway to the north intersection of the Gabriel Tucker Bridge is vital to the country’s logistics, according to Ms. SUZUKI, Momoko, Chief Representative of JICA.

Madam SUZUKI said that now that the project has moved to the phase of the detailed design, she would like to request that the Liberian colleagues involved in this project ensure the timely execution of the project’s major undertakings or commitments, which are stipulated in the grant agreement for the successful implementation of the project.

Mr. Roland L. Gidddings, Minister of Public Works; Amb. Sylvester Grigsby, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs; and Amb. George W. Wallace, Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs, were among those present at the signing ceremony.

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The loan agreements was signed by Boima Kamara, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning of Liberia, and Benedict Kanu, the Country Director of the African Development Bank, on behalf of his organization.

The funds will be used to construct the 97-kilometer road in Liberia and link bridges connecting the MRU states, according to Benedict Kanu, the Country Director of the African Development Bank, who spoke during the signing ceremony.

He claimed that upgrading the bitumen standard on 48.5 kilometers of roadway in Liberia and 39 kilometers in Sierra Leone is the program’s fourth phase.

“The goal of the program is to raise the caliber of the roads that connect Guinea and Liberia, as well as the John Davies Town to Zwedru segment on the Fish Town-Zwedru axis in Liberia. These roads connect Beudu to Koindu in Sierra Leone. Additionally, it will fund feasibility studies for building 97 kilometers of roads in Liberia. Cross-border infrastructure development between Liberia and Sierra Leone, the creation of socioeconomic infrastructure, and support for women’s and youth associations to encourage much-needed private enterprise are additional project components.”

The AFB Country Manager explained that the project will empower women in the program coverage area through stimulation of agricultural production and marketing, income-generating activities, and other indirect outcomes, including the creation of more than 2,000 jobs during the construction phase , of which 30 percent are for women.

Minister of Finance and Development Planning Boima Kamara expressed gratitude to the African Development Bank on behalf of President Joseph Boakai, and the government for the collaboration between the ADB and Liberia.

According to him, Liberia needs infrastructure assistance to create an environment that fosters the growth and development of its citizens. This is why the signing ceremony for the MRU road construction and the transportation facilitation program is an extension of that support.

”The phase four, which is the important step beyond the Batumi standard, will entail the upgrade of 48.5 kilometers of road in Liberia and 39 kilometers in Sierra Leone. We view this as an expression of greater support for the MRU between the two nations because it will also finance the feasibility studies for the building of 97 kilometers of road in Liberia and other project components, including rehabilitating cross border infrastructure between Liberia and Sierra Leone , developing socio-economic infrastructure, and providing to women as there is a gender dimension, as well as taking into consideration the involvement of youth associations to promote the much needed private enterprise.”

“Another important element is to stimulate agriculture productivity by creating farm-to-market roads, which will gradually improve the lives of our people with the increase in the prices of agricultural commodities. We believe that, in the broader scope of things, the creation of 2,000 jobs with 30 percent comprising women will take our infrastructural development to another level.”

The signing ceremony was graced by Public Works Minister, Roland Giddings; Dekpue Zao, Deputy Finance Minister for Economic Management; and members of the senior management team at the Ministry of Finance, among others. The signing ceremony for the 40 million United States Dollar loan agreement was held at the 10^th floor conference room at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in Monrovia during the weekend.

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