The first Cabinet Retreat since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia is onging in Julijuah, Bomi County, with several sector heads presenting on past performance, zooming on the impact of the health crisis.
President Sirleaf opened the ceremony with a call to members of her cabinet to prepare to set realistic, achievable and measurable targets for the next three years.
The opening session of the retreat focused on education, agriculture and public infrastructure, all of which were heavily affected by the Ebola outbreak in the last calendar year.
Stalled Power Projects
Presenting to the Chief Executive status report from his sector, the Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy, Hon. Patrick Sendolo, said most of the key projects within the Energy sector were affected by Ebola.
He added that in spite of the challenges brought about by the disease, the Liberia Electricity corporation (LEC) was able to connect more than 20,000 homes in line with Pres. Sirleaf’s mandate of completing at least one thousand households a month.
Minister Sendolo informed his cabinet colleagues and the President that the Government of Liberia’s two flagship power projects–– Mount Coffee and West Africa Power Pool–– were put on hold as a result of the Ebola outbreak.
Confidence over Reopening of Schools
Heads of the country’s education sector disclosed several plans as schools are expected to fully reopen on February 2, 2015
Representatives of the Ministry of Education told the cabinet that there were plans to train 15,000 school administrators on Ebola preventive measures.
Deputy Education Minister Anthony Nimely also disclosed that the Government will provide one million textbooks for students in grades 5-9 and 20,000 guides for teachers at all levels. The deputy education boss further disclosed the prolong closure of schools, as a result of the Ebola crisis, had constrained the Ministry to renovate 500 schools, repairs hand pumps and latrines at various campuses across the country.
Infrastructural Development now on course
With its timeline having also been affected by the deadly health crisis, the President Delivery Unit (PDU) also informed the cabinet about several roads and other infrastructure projects that have resumed. These roads include Ganta-Zwedru, Fish town-Harper, Buchanan-Greenville, and Somalia Drive.