Press Release, Wednesday, February 13, 2019: The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Professor Wilson K. Tarpeh has said the essence of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) is to help direct Liberia’s path of development.

Professor Tarpeh said the Coalition for Democratic Change led-government of President George Manneh Weah   came up with the PAPD document as a way of helping Liberians move in a positive direction relative to the country’s transformation.

He said as a new government, the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development was drawn up as a strategic framework that determines where Liberia wants to go as a sovereign nation.  

Speaking Tuesday, February 12, 2019  at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry during the first sector  meeting of Pillar Two of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, he said much is always likely to be achieved when people combine their efforts and ideas rather than when crucial national issues are being tackled individually.

“We are a new government, and in other to know where we are going we decided to formulate a strategic plan and that strategic plan is the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development,” Professor Tarpeh told the group.

The Commerce and Industry Minister noted further that at the time the PAPD was being crafted, it was broken into pieces with each piece being bench marked to meet specific targets.

He described the Tuesday meeting as a good beginning and expressed the hope that the line ministries and agencies forming part of Pillar Two of the PAPD would do their utmost best to push the agenda forward in the interest of the Liberian people.

Professor Tarpeh said Liberian Chief Executive, George Manneh Weah put them together as a team, with the understanding that the technical  individuals   on the team will guide the process while the political appointees will play their part  by providing the political direction. The meeting, the first since the setting up of sector ministries and agencies of government under Pillar Two of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development was attended by representatives from several sector institutions.

During the meeting, representatives from the various sector ministries and agencies shared notes on how to the keep up with the spirit of collaboration.
In addition, they advanced several constructive ideas aimed at realizing the objective of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, including ensuring that the meetings are held as required.

Sector ministries and institutions that attended the Tuesday, February 12, 2019 are the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Labor, National Investment Commission (NIC) Liberia Business Association,(LIBA) National Bureau of Concessions,(NBC) and Liberia Intellectual Copy Right Office(LIPO). Pillar Two of the Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development focuses on the economy, job creation and infrastructure development.  

Members of Pillar Two of the PAPD are expected to hold their second meeting in March this year.

By: Jacob N.B Parley
Public Affairs Director