NIMBA COUNTY – Vice President Jeremiah Koung has urged residents of Tappita City, Nimba County to prepare for rapid development after major road improvements opened easier access to the southeast region.
By D. Franklin Doloquee
Speaking at the launch ceremony for the construction of the Tappita Vocational Training Institute (TVTI), Vice President Koung said that better roads will change migration and economic patterns across the region.
“Where people used to spend two weeks or more to reach Tappita, the trip now takes less than two hours under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Administration,” Vice President Koung stated.
“This progress demonstrates that citizens of Tappita are ready and welcoming development activities,” he intoned.
He warned that Ganta, long a regional commercial hub, may no longer hold the same strategic importance as traffic and trade shift toward the improved Tappita Corridor.
“As the roads become good, people will start to move. Land values will change and new business opportunities will appear,” he intoned.
Vocational training at the center, Vice President Koung emphasized, will be key to ensuring local residents benefit from these opportunities. “It’s never too late to learn,” he said. “Even those who never attended formal school can enroll, acquire skills, and receive a certificate that proves their competence.”
The Vice President noted that a common problem facing skilled workers: informal mastery of trades without formal documentation. “Many people know how to do the work, but they lack certificates to show employers,” he pointed out.
“The Tappita Vocational Training Institute will help address that problem by providing certified training and credentials,” he intimated.
The Vice President highlighted the connection between vocational skills and incoming industries. “Many companies entering the country are industry-based. Liberians must be ready to fill those positions,” he said.
“TVTI will help graduates become more productive and marketable, since many employers require documented qualifications.”
At the launch ceremony, Vice President Koung made tangible contributions to support the institute and local students.
He donated 1,000 bags of cement to support construction of Tappita Vocational Training Institute (TVTI) facilities and provided 1.5 million Liberian Dollars in scholarships for students who will attend the institute when it opens in July.
He also opened the rally with a personal contribution of five hundred thousand Liberian dollars. The new vocational institute is expected to offer practical courses tailored to local industry needs, including construction trades, electrical and mechanical maintenance, plumbing and small-business skills.
Local leaders at the event welcomed the investment, saying it will create short-term construction jobs and longer-term employment through skills training.
Community members gathered at the site described the atmosphere as hopeful: traders, youth and elders stood beneath the sun as officials spoke about a future of greater opportunity for Tappita and its surrounds.
