The National Civil Society Union of Liberia (NACSUL) has hailed Margibi County’s district #1 Representative, Tibelrosa S. Tarponweh, for introducing an act to make the National Road Fund of Liberia (NRF) an autonomous agency.
The group has meanwhile joined Representative Tarponweh’s endeavor to ensure that the NRF receives independence, calling on the administration of President George Manneh Weah to see reason to grant the institution an autonomous status, in order that it may independently carry out its function and generate needed revenue for the government.
According to the President of NACSUL, Amos B.S. Kanneh, his call on the government to elevate the NRF to an autonomous status is based on the numerous achievements of the entity since its establishment in 2016.
President Kanneh said records have proved that the NRF has maintained a good financial record during these hard economic times, evident by recent comments by the CEO of the African Roads Maintenance Funds Association (ARMFA), Ali Ipinge, hailing Satu’s NRF for doing well, more than many African road management bodies.
“The CEO of the NRF, along with his lieutenants, has been doing a great job at the entity; as such, it is only prudent that the government see reason to give the team a chance to perform without any hindrance. We would like to commend Representative Tibelrosa S. Tarponweh of Margibi County for championing the cause to give the NRF an autonomous status. His farsightedness will forever be remembered in history,” President Kanneh stated in the release.
According to the group, granting the NRF an autonomous status could motivate the NRF team to amplify their work in generating more funds for government, as it will make them to know that people are watching their activities from afar.
NACSUL alluded to Representative Tarponweh’s communication to plenary to protect the entity, stating, “Such protection will assure all Liberians adequate financial management and avoid the excessive risk of losing focus on the primary objective of the proposed National Road Fund Administration. This is justified in the fact that it increases a substantial amount of independence of the financial and program management system.”
President Kanneh reaffirmed his institution’s commitment and support to the effort making the NRF an autonomous agency, and called on the National Legislature to treat Representative Tarponweh’s bill with emergency, which will reduce the problem of bad roads in all the fifteen counties. “Road is everybody’s business,” President Kanneh added in the release.
President Kanneh underscored that giving the NRF an autonomous status will put the institution on par with many other road management bodies in Africa. He said research conducted by NACSUL revealed that the road funds of Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Niger, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and other countries are categorized in the second generation road funds for meeting certain basic criteria, including separation of functions, revenue allocation rules, clear legal basis, etc.
He argued that these road fund management bodies were able to meet the set criteria because of the level of independence their governments granted them, and same can be done for the NRF of Liberia.
President Kanneh used the occasion to call on the lawmakers to immediately place the bill on the floor of the plenary as they resume work yesterday. He also implored the lawmakers to prioritize the passage of the bill, as it is in the interest of national development.