The government of Liberia is expected to benefit a $2.6M modern wood processing facility in Dukpuyee town Nimba County from the government of Japan.

The project which will be implemented by the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment is being contracted to the BMC group of companies and will be monitored by the Japanese Fund Secretariat.

The modern wood processing facility will cover a land space of 10 acres.

Speaking when the Liberia Authority and the community turned over the land deed to the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment, the head of the Japanese Fund Secretariat, Mr. Steve Flahn Paye said the project will add additional value to the Liberian Timber products that come from the Liberian forest.

According to him, the facility when completed will contain Wood Workshop, Wood processing and training facility. 

“We want to produce anything that has to do with Wood products, we even intend to do wood product that we can export”. Mr. Flahn Paye said.

He noted that the project is expected to employ the first four hundred fifty persons upon completion. 

Those targeted to be employed will include Foresters, Carpenters, Drivers, and Wood Dryers amongst others. Mr. Flahn Paye further explained that the project which construction phase is expected to kick off early next week will last for two years six months. 

The project which is a Liberia-Japan counterpart value fund project when completed will be turned over to the management of the Liberia-Japan Wood Workshop.

Mr. Flahn Paye used the medium to encourage Liberians who are already in the wood workshop business to take advantage of this opportunity to get advanced training to enhance their business.

The Japanese Fund secretariat head also lauds the community for giving their community Land to the government and its development to partners to undertake such a monumental development that will bring financial benefit to the community. 

He said other communities have lost similar opportunity due to their unwillingness to offer their land for development purpose.

Speaking further, he assured the people of Dukpuyee of giving preference in terms of employment and training opportunity.

Also speaking, the Executive Director for the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment Mr. Julius K. Sele appreciated the Japanese Fund Secretariat and the Liberia government for trusting his institution to implement the project. He called the citizens to work with the contractors for the successful implementation of the project. 

He said the project when completed; the citizens stand to gain economic capacity.

For his part, Nimba County Land Administrator, Eddie K. Beangar Sr. has lauded the people of Dukpuyee for voluntarily donating their land for development purpose.

The 10 acres of land was donated to the government through a memorandum of Agreement entered into by and between the people of Dukpuyee and the government of Liberia through the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment.

The agreement amongst other things obligate the people of Dukpuyee town in Kpein township through their designees, to sign a resolution or execute a deed which signifies transfer of ownership to the government of Liberia of the donated 10 acres of land for the construction of the workshop and training facility while the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment shall renovate the Dukpuyee town school facility, construct a small town hall for the community and provide a drilled water facility.