On Thursday, May 12, 2022, Mr. David Ford, the president of the Liberian Swedish Association (LSA), held a meeting with a delegation from Liberia in Stockholm, Sweden. The delegation was led by Madam Florence Brandy, the superintendent of Montserrado County, which is home to Liberia's capital city, Monrovia. The delegation also included several representatives from various governmental agencies in Liberia.
Mr. Ford, in his ongoing commitment to fully represent the Liberian Swedish Association (LSA) at various levels, took time from his busy schedule to meet with Madam Brandy and her delegation to discuss issues related to their visit to Sweden and critical issues affecting Liberian society, particularly Montserrado County.
During their meeting, Madam Brandy informed Mr. Ford that she and her delegation of 16 individuals are in Sweden, specifically in the Gävle municipality, for a three-week training program. The program aims to enhance their capacity in land management, data collection, and conflict resolution within this sector.
Madam Brandy explained that the training workshop is sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and implemented by Lantmäteriat, a Swedish agency responsible for mapping Sweden, demarcating boundaries, and ensuring secure ownership of real property. They also provide information and documentation on Sweden's geography and real properties.
Regarding Montserrado County, Madam Brandy highlighted waste collection and management as a major challenge for the Monrovia City Governance. This challenge stems mainly from the lack of adequate resources to facilitate the collection and disposal of garbage from within and around the city of Monrovia. Another significant challenge she mentioned is the reluctance of Liberians to adhere to basic rules and regulations concerning waste disposal.
In response to Madam Brandy, Mr. Ford expressed his disappointment regarding the situation and emphasized that while it is indeed unfortunate, it is not insurmountable. He believes that with proper intervention, such challenges can be addressed effectively. Mr. Ford suggested that the Government of Liberia should allocate significant financial resources to this sector and enforce existing laws to prevent and hold citizens accountable for improper waste disposal in Monrovia.
Additionally, Mr. Ford mentioned that the LSA, as a Liberian diaspora organization in Sweden, is deeply committed to supporting underprivileged children in Liberia. He explained that his leadership had plans to initiate projects toward this goal, but unfortunately, the disruptive impact of COVID-19 hindered the implementation of these plans.
Toward the end of the discussion, Mr. Ford provided some insights into the LSA community and its ongoing initiatives.
