PHOTO: Boniface Satu, Chief Executive Officer, National Road Fund
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The World Bank has reportedly approved one million United States Dollars for human capacity development at the National Road Fund and to implement a road sector development program in Liberia.
The Chief Executive Officer at the National Road Fund, Boniface Satu said as a part of the agreement, some employees at his entity will be given training and some members of the national legislature will have to make foreign trip, in order to fund funds in other countries are operated.
Speaking during a year-end engagement with the press in Monrovia recently, Mr. Satu stressed the need for the National Road Fund to be enacted into an autonomous agency to as to introduce toe payment road usage
“In some counties, motorists pay for the usage of the pave roads, which is another source of generating revenue for the government,” he said; adding: “this is what accelerating the maintenance and construction of more roads in some our neighboring countries.”
The Road Fund boss called on Liberians to depoliticize the National Road Fund, in order to connect the 15 sub political divisions with pave road network in the country because the NRF is not a ‘political football’.
According to him, the National Road Fund has contributed about 120 million United States Dollars to the national budget over the last five years.
He explained that the NRF was very instrumental in making several construction companies to obtain loans for the construction roads in several parts in the country.
The NRF Chief Executive officer claimed that his agency has an open and transparent process with high mark of accountability because all the funding generated goes into one consolidated account
He encouraged the lawmakers, politicians and the media to use their various platforms to educate the public about the importance of the National Road Fund.
Mr. Satu commended the workforce of the NRF for their dedication and encouraged them to continue to be dutiful, demonstrate honesty, and hardworking so as to maintain the good name of the institution.
“We should do all we can to support the vision of the President George Weah to build and develop this country and the faster way development can come in this country is through the opening of roads into the interior.”
The Road Fund Executive Director commended the line ministries including the Public Works, Transport, Commence and the national legislature for the cooperation with the NRF over the years.