MONROVIA, Liberia — Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan is urging a stronger culture of long-range planning and disciplined execution to power Liberia’s economic growth, calling on government, business and civil society to “dream big” and deliver.
“When you are planning and strategizing, you must take the time to prepare,” Ngafuan said, likening national development to building a strong house. “Those who associate the building of a house with immediate action often overlook the vital groundwork that lays the foundation for success.” Without proper planning, he warned, projects risk failure and collapse.
Ngafuan said ambition must match rigor. Citing historic examples such as President John F. Kennedy’s moonshot and echoing former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s maxim “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough,” he added: “It takes some craziness to develop a country. You need big thinking and dreams that challenge the status quo.”
The minister stressed that plans only matter if they’re carried out. “There’s one thing to have the plan; it’s another thing to work the plan,” he said, urging tighter follow-through across ministries and agencies.
He welcomed the role of homegrown expertise, noting a recent National Port Authority strategic plan facilitated by local consultants as a positive sign. “This signals the rise of a new industry in Liberia, providing jobs and opportunities for our people,” he said, while urging a review of stringent contracting requirements that he said disadvantage Liberian firms. “We must review and dismantle unfair barriers that prevent local firms from competing in the marketplace.” With the government’s five-year plan projected to cost more than $8 billion, Ngafuan called for alignment across institutions and sectors and invited stakeholders to engage in “constructive dialogues” to clear bottlenecks. “Let’s work together to overcome obstacles and create a brighter, more prosperous future for all Liberians,” he said.
