VOSIEDA Launches New Project on Multi-Stakeholders Sustainable Development Concession Platform
By: Laymah Kollie
Congo Town-November 11,2023: The Volunteers for Sustainable Development in Africa (VOSIEDA ) in Collaboration with the National Bureau of Concession (NBC) with Funding from UKAid on Friday November 10,2023 launched a new project on the Multi-Stakeholders Sustainable Development Concession Platform in Liberia.
The Multi-Stakeholders Sustainable Development Concession Platform-Liberia is a five month pilot project that is being implemented in Grand Cape Mount County.
With support from Partnership for Forests (P4F), VOSIEDA is working with the Ministry of Agriculture, Conservation International and National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) to strengthen the multi-Stakeholders platform (MSPs). The project aimed to work with MSPs to form governance structures, develop bylaws and constitution and build their capacity to source more partnership.
Giving overview of the project, Madam Abigail Coker, Program Manager at VOSIEDA said the project thematic focus are conservation agreement cooperatives registration and grievance mechanism.
“The project will also focus on forest conversation, social impact, strengthening cooperatives and findings. The five months activities include: signing conservation agreement, working with cooperatives to have them register, developing grievance mechanism to address gender and conflict issues”
Furthermore, Madam Jeanine Cooper, Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Liberia served as launcher of the ceremony.
Minister Cooper, in launching the project, assured government’s commitment to supporting the project and affected communities. She believes the activity is a plus to the Liberian community.
“I’m very happy that we are doing this project and I look forward. I hereby through the Ministry of Agriculture, the Government of Liberia launch this multi stakeholders project” Minister Cooper quoted.
Also, Speaking on behalf of the Project Affected Communities Mr. Mohamed Jallibah, Chairperson of Garwula District Grand Cape Mount said that the inhabitants are in favor of the project and are willing to work with the implementers.
“This project will be welcomed in Grand Cape Mount County. We are open to development, our people give the message that they will appreciate, they will accept the project “ Mr. Jallibah said.
At the same time, Mr. Austin P Railey, Sr. Senior Program Coordinator at the Ministry of Internal Affairs thinks the project will not only benefit community dwellers but the Civil Society Actors as well.
“This project is intended not only to empower community dwellers but the CSOs also. We need to look around that this project become more of less the duration. Our doors and open, VOSIEDA you can count on us at anytime”
However, Mr. Harris B. Wennie, Director of Program and Project at the Corporative Development Agency stressed the importance of including the affected communities themselves into every activities involved into the project. According to him, if the community is not involved, it creates disenchantment to the process.
“We hope VOSIEDA and partners to always include the community members into their activities, because these are complaints we get every time that the community people are left out. We want to assure you people that the doors of the CDA are open. We will make sure that the project have a blue print”
VOSIEDA is a Civil Society Organization that collaborates closely with communities, government entities, and development partners to foster prosperity, mitigate extreme poverty, enhance economic opportunities, preserve natural resources, and fortify peace and stability in Liberia and the West Africa Mano River Basin
