Executive Mansion, Monrovia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Cabinet on Thursday, November 12, endorsed a framework to construct up to 5,000 affordable homes for government employees, beginning with an initial phase of 600 units. The Government Employee Housing Project is projected to generate up to 6,000 skilled and unskilled jobs and calls for a proposed investment of up to US$300 million, subject to financial and regulatory approvals.
Dr. Josiah F. Joekai Jr., Director-General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and chair of the Special Presidential Housing Committee, presented the framework during the 26th Cabinet meeting at the Executive Mansion’s Tea House. The committee developed the plan in collaboration with LARIX Company Limited, the proposed developer and financing partner. Dr. Joekai explained that the US$300 million figure serves as a planning ceiling, giving the project flexibility to accommodate fluctuations in development costs.
Under the initiative, eligible civil servants across various salary grades will gain access to mortgages spanning up to 20 years, with repayments structured through payroll deductions. The framework emphasizes a transparent beneficiary selection process and includes targeted support for qualifying lower-income employees. According to Dr. Joekai, the Ministry of Public Works has completed technical drawings and structural specifications for four housing models, featuring two distinct designs each for two- and three-bedroom units. The administration expects the program to eventually expand homeownership opportunities to the broader Liberian public.
Addressing the economic impact, Joekai noted that the project will create significant employment for engineers, technicians, skilled tradespeople, and general laborers, with approximately 90 percent of unskilled jobs reserved for Liberian workers. Local contractors and suppliers are also expected to benefit from subcontracting opportunities and increased market demand. He projected that transitioning public servants from renting to owning homes will boost workforce morale, retention, and overall productivity.
Aligned with the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, the initiative is overseen by the Special Presidential Housing Committee, chaired by the CSA and co-chaired by the National Investment Commission. The committee will coordinate implementation alongside the Ministries of Finance and Development Planning, State for Presidential Affairs, and Public Works, as well as the Liberia Land Authority and the National Housing Authority.
Before breaking ground, the government must complete technical, legal, and financial due diligence, finalize funding arrangements, and execute a definitive agreement with LARIX. Construction will commence once all prerequisite conditions are satisfied.
During the same session, the Cabinet endorsed three flagship proposals submitted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports under Liberia’s Youth, Peace and Security framework, which launched in September. The endorsed initiatives are the 10-Year Youth Vision Document, the Youth Impact Compact, and the Annual State of the Youth Report.
The 10-Year Youth Vision outlines the establishment of Youth Pathway Hubs across all 15 counties. Designated as the Presidential Legacy Project for the Youth of Liberia, the hubs will be spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in partnership with the Ministry of State. Each facility is designed to feature administrative and meeting spaces for youth organizations, technical and vocational training centers, technology innovation labs, creative arts studios and theaters, and athletic complexes equipped with football fields and basketball courts.
Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah stated that the hubs will bring essential training, technology, arts, and athletic resources directly into local communities. She added that the Youth Impact Compact will foster inter-ministerial coordination and resource pooling, while the Annual State of the Youth Report will bolster the government’s capacity to gather and utilize independent data and research on young Liberians.