By: P. Uriah Suah | 0881137395
Ganta, Nimba County — The Government of Liberia, in collaboration with its development partners, has officially launched the country’s first Post-War National Infrastructure Conference in Ganta City, Nimba County, under the theme: “Rebranding and Rebuilding Through Reconstruction.”
The five-day conference, which began on Monday, January 19, 2026, and runs through Friday, January 23, 2026, has brought together government officials, development partners, private sector actors, engineers, academics, and policy experts to exchange ideas and address key infrastructure challenges. Discussions are centered on innovation, policy direction, financing, public-private partnerships, and climate-resilient solutions across major sectors.
The conference aims to foster collaboration, unlock investment opportunities, and lay the foundation for sustainable, inclusive, and people-centered infrastructure development in Liberia.
Key thematic areas include spatial development and urban planning, housing and social infrastructure, energy and transport systems, road and bridge connectivity, rural access, traffic management and safety, and the construction of resilient infrastructure. Other priority topics are climate change integration, water, sewerage and sanitation (WASH), solid waste management, telecommunications, and digital connectivity, with special attention to underserved rural communities.
In her welcoming remarks, Nimba County Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono described the conference as “the tangible dawn of inclusive development,” highlighting ongoing infrastructure revitalization efforts in the county. These include the renovation of key government buildings, the upgrading of the Nimba Airstrip, the restoration of the historic 1959 Tubman-era building, and continued investments in roads, markets, schools, tourism, and maternal health facilities.
Superintendent Gono commended President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. for his leadership, citing the nationwide road connectivity drive, electricity expansion, and the anticipated arrival of more than 285 pieces of road-building equipment as evidence of the government’s commitment to national development.
For his part, the Minister of Public Works and Chairman of the National Organizing Committee, Roland Lafayette Giddings, described infrastructure investment as the cornerstone of Liberia’s economic recovery. He said the conference reflects a national resolve to rebuild, rebrand, and transform Liberia’s infrastructure into a key driver of economic growth, while acknowledging challenges such as deteriorated roads, unplanned urban expansion, limited energy access, weak telecommunications, and poor rural connectivity.
Formally launching the conference, President Boakai said Liberia’s deteriorated infrastructure remains one of the most visible legacies of the civil war, stressing that rebuilding roads, energy systems, public buildings, and water facilities is essential to restoring dignity, stimulating economic growth, and healing the nation.
“This conference is not just about fixing what is broken,” President Boakai said. “It is about building smarter, better, and more inclusive infrastructure that leaves no one behind.”
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment under the ARREST Agenda to coordinated, resilient, and people-centered infrastructure development aligned with Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The final day of the conference, scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026, will focus on partnerships, investment opportunities, and concluding deliberations, culminating in the adoption of a clear implementation roadmap to guide Liberia’s infrastructure development agenda going forward.
