Africa-Press – Liberia. Senator Chie claimed that the deplorable nature of airports across the country continue to claim the attention of citizens, especially those residing in the leeward areas.
Grand Kru County Senator Albert Chie has raised an alarm over the deplorable state of the 11 domestic airports across Liberia.
Lawmaker Chie is an executive of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and former Senate Pro Tempore.
Senator Chie claimed that the deplorable nature of airports across the country continue to claim the attention of citizens, especially those residing in the leeward areas.
His assertions were contained in a communication addressed to the Plenary of the Liberian Senate and read during regular sitting at the Capitol Building in Monrovia on Tuesday, June 4.
According to him, the runways or airstrips at these domestic airports need to be rehabilitated.
He stressed that the resuscitating of domestic airports across the country would boost tourism, which is one of the pillars of the agenda of the Unity Party led-government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Senator Chie maintained that the move will also lure local and foreign investors to invest in the domestic airport sector of Liberia.
He added that it will also encourage economic activities and help grow small businesses around the airports, and facilitate the smooth and timely collection of revenue by the government.
He maintained that it would also augment land transport of both human and goods and the need to do or establish businesses in the rural areas.
Senator Chief justified that national security surveillance and natural resource surveys will be carried out in an unhindered manner, while other socio-economic activities would be promoted if the deplorable conditions at domestic airports are addressed.
He, however, called for the development of a roadmap that would showcase what needs to be done to rehabilitate these domestic airports
“In respect of the urgency of the activities we have deliberated above to the overall economic growth and development of our country, we kindly request plenary to mandate the Senate Committee on Transport as lead committee, Public Works and Ways, Means , Finance and Budget to engage the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), the Liberia Domestic Airport Agency (LDAA) and other relevant agencies in the executive to produce a roadmap for the rehabilitation and pavement of the 11 domestic airstrips including feasibility studies and cost for consideration of the Senate.”
“Right now, most of the airstrips are not functional; and some are functional on a very low scale with laterite soil. Because of certain issues with our airstrips, investors don’t want to come to invest. It’s very much important we rehabilitate the airstrips; this time around, we need to pave those 11 airstrips across the country,” Senator Chie stated while justifying the significance of his communication.
A motion for the communication to be sent to the relevant committees was filed by Maryland County Senator Gbleh-bo Brown.
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