By Jamesetta D. Williams
Liberia is anticipated to learn from a US$72 million funding bundle from the Authorities of Japan, which officers say is anticipated to cowl vital sectors corresponding to infrastructure, well being, schooling, and agriculture.
However one lingering query stays is whether or not the deserted outdated terminal of the Roberts Worldwide Airport (RIA) might be a part of this help.
The way forward for the outdated RIA terminal stays unclear. Many Liberians proceed to ask whether or not authorities has an outlined plan for the location particularly now that new financing alternatives are being mentioned.
For many years, the unique RIA terminal served as Liberia’s most important gateway, welcoming vacationers from all over the world. But, in the course of the Second Liberian Civil Conflict, the constructing suffered heavy harm and steadily fell into disuse.
In September 2019, a contemporary terminal was formally commissioned, marking an essential step in revitalizing Liberia’s aviation sector. Since then, the outdated terminal has stood idle, its most important construction deteriorating although the adjoining VIP facility nonetheless operates, internet hosting presidents, diplomats, and visiting dignitaries.
This distinction has saved the location considerably related, however the uncertainty about its bigger position persists. Ought to it’s demolished, restored, or repurposed to enhance the brand new terminal, many Liberians puzzled.
Up to now, the federal government has not given a transparent public assertion. With the US$72 million Japanese bundle nonetheless beneath overview, residents are left ready for solutions questioning if the long-neglected outdated terminal will lastly be addressed, or whether or not it should stay a forgotten relic of Liberia’s aviation historical past.
