• Référence: P-LR-I00-004
• Date d’approbation: 29/06/2011
• Date de début: 23/01/2012
• Date d'évaluation: 23/02/2011
• Statut: En coursOnGo
• Agence d'implémentation: MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS
• Emplacement: River Gee and Maryland Counties - Liberi

The supplementary project has maintained the three components of the original LBPWP, namely:

(i) Rehabilitation of Socio-Economic Infrastructure;

(ii) Capacity Development for Infrastructure Maintenance; and

(iii) Project Management. However, it addresses only specific activities that could not be funded under the original project.

Table: project components

N°Component nameEst. cost (million UA)Component description

1Rehabilitation of Socio-Economic Infrastructure Subcomponent 1 - Consultancy services for the Rehabilitation works of the 125km FTHR -road design consultancy service achieved under initial project. Quoted estimated cost to be allocated to Supervision Consultancy Service

"Subcomponent 2 - Rehabilitation of social infrastructure *6 clinics/health centres to be rehabilitated under supplementary assistance to make up the full complement of 10 clinics and 10 schools as initially appraised. (Only 4 out of 10 clinics rehabilitated under initial project).

*LACE Management Fees + project officers - management fees and extended term for 2 project officers

2Capacity Development for Infrastructure Maintenance

"Equipment to MPW - IT Lab Equipment + Dump Trucks

"Road Maintenance Works - Demonstration Works

"Community Maintenance training + ILO Management coordination 3Project Management Project Management (PIU staff-extension of contracts) "TA (procurement expert environmentalist) "Impact Evaluation Studies "Technical Audit "Financial Audit

REHABILITATE SOCIOECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVE CAPACITIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE

1GOL and its donor partners, including the Bank Group, have placed emphasis on rebuilding Liberia's infrastructure and capacities of institutions and communities. The current supplementary support to the LBPWP is part of the Government's strategy to boost economic activities, create both permanent and temporary job opportunities through the use of labor-based methods, and increase the skills of workers and local communities. The rehabilitation of the Fish Town-Harper Road (FTHR) under the original LBPWP will improve road accessibility in the south eastern counties, which are hardly accessible even in the dry season and almost completely inaccessible in the rainy season. The project is in line with the JAS in its focus on rehabilitation of the country's socio-economic and physical infrastructure and attracting private sector investment which are important for re-launching economic activity.

2The use of labor based methods is considered a key tool to address the pressing need for job creation in recognition of a correlation between youth employment and security. In addition, the Project will strengthen the capacity of local construction companies, which have been significantly impacted by the brain drain, disinvestments and destruction of equipment. Since communities living along the road corridors will constitute the work-force of labor-based road maintenance, the project will provide training to these communities through building community maintenance organizations that will undertake minor works on the road networks being rehabilitated. This activity is a way of revitalizing communities and fostering local ownership of public infrastructure within their areas. Finally, the LBPWP and this supplementary support include rehabilitation and construction of clinics and schools in order to increase access of rural communities to basic services. These aspects are detailed in the Technical Annexes.

3The supplementary support is to finance important activities that could not be accommodated in the LBPWP due to cost over-runs and lack of available resources from the GOL and donors. These activities are necessary for achieving the project development objectives as set out at the initial appraisal of the LBPWP. They include demonstration road maintenance works, provision of equipment to private contractors, and provision of Information Technology Laboratory equipment to Ministry of Public Works (MPW) that were part of Component 2 in the original grant for LBPWP but whose resources were re-allocated (with Bank approval) to meet other immediate costs such as on rehabilitation of Fish Town-Harper Road. While donor partners are active in the roads rehabilitation sector of the country, only the Bank is supporting GOL in this specific road corridor and GOL does not have the resources to meet this financing shortfall. Overall, the performance of the project is currently rated as satisfactory.

4The supplementary request from GOL includes UA 1.50 million for rehabilitation/reconstruction of socioeconomic infrastructure, such as the remaining six (6) out of the ten clinics envisaged at appraisal of the original grant. Post appraisal of the original grant and prior to implementation, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) introduced new standardized designs for clinics/health centers. The amount dedicated to this sub-component in the Bank's original grant was based on previous designs of health facilities. That allocation could accommodate only four (4) clinics (of the 10 planned) based on the new designs issued by MOHSW. The current request will cover the cost of rehabilitating the remaining six (6) clinics - three in each of the counties of Maryland and River Gee.

5The proposed Supplementary Grant for the Project complies with the General and Specific Conditions of the Bank Group's Policy and Procedures for Supplementary Financing, 1997. In particular, the following articles are satisfied:

(i) Art. 4.6 and 4.7: the objectives set forth at appraisal cannot be attained without the supplementary grant due to cost overruns that have resulted from changes in the design of the infrastructure during implementation, carried out to optimise the benefits of the investments to the population;

(ii) Art. 4.8: the Project is in an advanced stage of implementation and its completion will yield benefits to the population in a relatively short period; and

(iii) Art. 4.15: the Project has an overall supervision rating of "satisfactory"; the cost overrun cannot be met by the Government, which is unable to find other financiers; and the proposed supplementary financing is adequate for the satisfactory completion of the Project and there are no other exogenous constraints that would hinder the completion of the Project.

The use of labor-based works in road rehabilitation is seen as a key tool to address the pressing need for job creation, especially for the youth. Liberia's economic recovery process and job creation have been slower than the levels needed for significant improvements in the living standards of the majority of its people. While this provides temporary employment to local people especially the youth, it also equips them with skills that make them more competitive for similar jobs in the labor market. The work force of the LBPWP is currently made up of about 26% youth, under the age of 30. Under the implementation of the current proposal, more efforts will be made to sustain and even surpass this level.

With the increased accessibility that the rehabilitated road provides, it is expected that there will be economic and agricultural transformation in the project influence zone and thus increase the income of the population. The rehabilitation of the Fish Town - Harper Road is expected to directly generate over 270,000 workdays. In addition, due to the on-the-job training approach adopted by the project, about 600kms of rehabilitated feeder roads will be maintained over a 3-year period creating over 120,000 worker days and at least 2 ,500 direct and indirect jobs.

In the short to medium term, income generated by participating communities in the labor-based public works will enhance food security in the area, increase community assets, and reduce transportation costs. Journey time savings plus real reduction in transport fares will accrue as economic benefits to immediate inhabitants of the project area and the country at large.

Community participation in the project's activities will enhance positive social equity outcomes through

(i) reducing isolation and improving access to social services and markets, by the poor and

(ii) improving social inclusion of certain groups such as ex-combatants, women, etc. The project will have an impact on poverty reduction and local development through strengthened capacities of county MPW staff in the use of labor-based methods, the establishment and training of sixty community maintenance groups comprising of 1,500 persons, and improved access to social services due to the schools, health facilities and feeder roads rehabilitated.

BESONG Raymond Eyoh - OSHD1

Source	Montant
Co-financier	UAC 5.250.000
Total	UAC 5.250.000