It is about time that Monrovia City gets to redevelop to represent the Republic of Liberia’s capital city. Liberians are yearning to see a redeveloped, clean, safe, secure, thriving, and beautiful capital city rather than the deplorable and unclean city it is now.
For far too long, Liberians watched the degradation and outlandish neglect of the city of Monrovia into a city of filth, unnecessary congestion, and uncleanliness. For far too long, we have been ashamed of our capital city because of its ruins, and dilapidations.
We are embarrassed about the spill of fesses on the main streets, and the stench in the air. We need to do something about the inaccessibility of the sidewalks, and the deliberate and unlawful blockade of alleys, corridors, frontage, building allowances, and connecting roads. We need the water and sewer system functional, etc.
We travel to other countries and marvel at the cities for their infrastructure development, uniformity of the homes and communities, technological sophistication, beauty, and cleanliness. We return to Liberia and do nothing about redesigning and redeveloping the cities to a place of décor, and spectacle of admiration.
It is about time a plan to redevelop Monrovia is implemented. We must change this appallingly disgusting course and restore Monrovia to its essence of beauty, historicity, cleanliness, sophistication, and the grandeur of being one of the oldest capital cities in Africa. Monrovia must represent the capital city of the Republic of Liberia.
Monrovia needs to be a pristinely clean city advancing the country’s safety, security, geography, environment, energy, and economic prosperity.
It is incumbent upon the new City Mayor and the entire hierarchy of staff and field service workers at the Monrovia City Corporation to restore Monrovia City into a clean, dignified, safe, and respectful Capital City of Liberia.
The City Mayor must develop a master redevelopment plan as the blueprint for the redevelopment of Monrovia city. All the intellects, technocrats, ingenuities, creativities, techniques, expertise, and crafts must input to script this master redevelopment plan.
Complete a physical and institutional assessment of the entire city to grasp and understand the depth of the calamity you will be working to solve. By this time also an institutional assessment of the entire Monrovia City should be ongoing to determine the inadequacies and needs.
After that, consult and get input from all the relevant government ministries and agencies (Public Works, Transport, Finance and Planning, Energy and Land Ministries, Water and Sewer, Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), Liberia National Police (LNP), Liberia Telecommunication Agency, (LTA), etc,).
Work with development partners by transforming the master plan into projects and program proposals on various thematic areas to be able to negotiate specific funding, grants, or material support. If there is no project and program, grant writing departments, employ technicians and establish one.
Do not be like your predecessor who was a “square peg in a round hole”. Exert the confidence and surround yourself with intelligence and expertise with a vision and purpose to redevelop Monrovia city into a vibrant beauty and splendor.
Consult also with the House of Representative members from the districts in Monrovia, and oversight committees from the House and Senate.
Consult with head representatives, and activists of each community or block in Monrovia and make sure to formulate a plan to continuously stay engaged and work with the various communities in the Monrovia districts. Look into instituting regular town hall meetings as a means of direct engagement with the communities, giving them voice and roles in the affairs of the redevelopment of Monrovia.
The Master Redevelopment Plan for Monrovia City must significantly reflect multi-pronged efforts by all stakeholders in the confines of Monrovia City. This effort will get everyone on board to contribute to the redevelopment of Monrovia City and shape its new economic, political, social, and natural environment.
Furthermore, engage the President of the Republic of Liberia and Vice President, Director of cabinet, and other advisers and obtain their vision and optimism for a redeveloped Capital City of Liberia-Monrovia.
Incorporate their ideas and perspectives into the plan. You will need the president to proclaim executive orders backed by law to effectively reinforce the adherence to Monrovia city ordinances/regulations. It is high time that the city ordinances and regulations are adhered to and enforced for accountability and deterrence.
One important project you must undertake is the restoration and protection of grave sites/cemeteries in Monrovia city, especially Center Street, Lynch Street, etc. It is so sad and disgustingly disgraceful to see the filth and degradation of the grave sites into dump sites.
The ruins and dilapidation do not show that we honor and respect those loved ones who were buried there.
Those cemeteries must have proper and secured fencing to keep away the “zogos and others”, The damaged graves restored bestowing honor and dignity to the deceased. W
e must maintain the cemeteries and keep them clean, orderly, and in very good condition. We must always ensure they are memorial places, wonderfully nice and welcoming to all who visit.
We must show respect for our dead loved ones, honoring them and their final resting place so that we can visit to feel them close, get comfort and peace, and reflect on their lives.
Lastly, the problem of deplorable and unclean Monrovia City goes still deeper, but you must be the transformer. Put the ingenuity to the heart of what it takes to redevelop Monrovia into a pristinely clean and attractive city to live in, carry out business, work, play, and conduct other significant activities representative of what a capital city should be. Give Monrovia city its viability as the Capital city of Liberia.
To restore and redevelop the city of Monrovia require individual recommendations and priority actions to achieve these goals in each of the planning areas as project or program. If a master plan ever gets to be developed, the Plan for Monrovia Redevelopment must provide clear, predictable, and achievable projects/programs aligned with both the long- and short-term aspirational goals of the people of Liberia and the Liberian Government.
By Ezekiel B. Freeman
International Consultant
Liberia Reengineering for Sustainable Development (LRSD)
