PHOTO: Bo Waterside Border Post
Monrovia, Liberia-The Mano River Union (MRU) and UNDP will officially commission a solar lighting installation at the Bo Waterside Sinje border crossing today, Friday, 12 November 2021.
The solar power installation will supply offices of the Liberia Immigration Service, the Liberia National Police, all line ministries and agencies, as well as the immediate surrounding areas of the border post. It is crucial for strengthening security by enabling 24-hour control and surveillance of movement of people between the two countries.
“The COVID-19 pandemic, which has harshly impacted the economies of the Mano River Union countries, highlighted the need to strengthen border surveillance, security and management to curb cross-border spread of the disease,” says UNDP Liberia Resident Representative Stephen Rodriques.
Rodriques noted that the installation of solar energy at the border is strategic for ensuring that COVID-19 response measures instituted by MRU countries prevent further adverse impacts on the countries’ economies and livelihoods of border communities.
He praised the Mano River Union Ambassador and Head of the Secretariat Medina Wisseh, for the level of collaboration and partnership she had mobilized from the two governments, their security forces and immigration services to keeping the borders safe while strengthening a sub-regional response to COVID-19.
Rodriques urged the Government of Liberia to allocate adequate budgetary resources for the maintenance and sustainability of the solar lighting initiative.
The commissioning ceremony of the solar power project will bring together high-level officials from the MRU Secretariat, the Liberia Immigration Service and UNDP.