By Mark N. Mengonfia,mmenginfia@gmail.com
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia- For the past 14 years, the Executive Mansion, which according to the Liberian constitution is the official home of the presidency, has been unoccupied, but President George M. Weah has promised to “bring it alive” by the end of this year.
For twelve years former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf spent tens of millions yet the renovation remained incomplete. The CDC government too added at least seven million US dollars to this marathon renovation and it’s not completed after two years in office, but light appears to be at the end of the tunnel.
The Liberian leader speaking at his third State of the Nation’s Address in the joint chambers of the Capitol Building in Monrovia on Monday, January 27, 2020, President Weah said that his administration is poised to bringing to an end the long years of renovation of the Executive Mansion.
President Weah indicated that making sure that the executive Mansion comes alive is part of his dream for this year.
It can be recalled that during the July 26, 2006 celebration of the first year of former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Executive Mansion was gutted by fire and since that time, it has been under renovation.
To date, the process of renovation is still ongoing and millions have been placed in the Liberian annual budget since the unfortunate incidence in 2016.
In FY-2008/09 and FY-2018/19 a total of US$ 33,492,101 was budgeted by the government of Liberia for renovation process, says House of Representatives Specialized Committee set up to probe this controversial project.
Since the fire outbreak on one of the eight floors at the Executive Mansion, China has since started from scratch a range of huge building construction complexes and completed in and outside Monrovia.
Some of the buildings include University of Liberia Fendall complex, the two annexes at the Capitol Building, the Jackson F. Doe memorial hospital in Tappita, Nimba County, the huge Ministerial complex in Congo Town which is housing five ministries and an agency.
It appears like the many budgetary allocations have not gone unnoticed by President Weah.
In his speach, the president said that he is making sure and ensuring that money is finally placed in the budget to make the issue of executive renovation as thing of the past.
Taking cue from the president massage, if the process is completed at the end of this year, it could be interpreted that next year,(2021) President GeorgeWeah is going to be making use of the Liberian mansion by moving in his official home, the Executive Mansion.