The Manager of the National Road Fund (NRF), Boniface Satu, has disclosed that the entity has collected US $7.1 million for the road fund thus far in fiscal year 2018/2019.
According to Satu, the funds have been deposited into the NFR account at the Central Bank of Liberia to maintain current roads and construct new ones across the country, adding: “The government is making sure that the funds collected are used for roads in the country.”
He pointed out that the NRF Office is adequately prepared to efficiently and effectively manage the road funds to upkeep roads in the country.
“The Road Fund is the foundation for the maintenance and construction of roads for most countries around the world, and the government is dedicated to this process because we want good roads,” Satu stated.
Satu, who spoke at the Ministry of Information press briefing recently, indicated that the bad road condition in some parts of the country has created a serious challenge for petroleum importers to take their products to rural areas, saying that this is having a downward trend in the collection of the road funds levied on petroleum products.
According to him, the government budgeted US$10 million for the road fund during the current fiscal year, but has collected about US$7.1 million, adding: “Which means we are down at 30 percent to the realization of our target.”
Satu, however, pointed out that from 2016 when the road fund collection was initiated up to present, the NRF has collected US$63 million for the fund.
He extolled the Inter Ministerial Committee that comprises Finance and Development Planning, Internal Affairs, and Public Works for the level of support being provided to the NRF.
Satu also lauded the efforts of the African Development Bank and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for the logistical, financial and technical support provided to the NRF.
Meanwhile, Satu has disclosed that the NFR will have its national awareness launch on January 15, 2019 to educate the public on the activities of the Fund.
Comments are closed.