Liberia has strengthened its environmental governance with the inauguration of a new headquarters and state-of-the-art scientific laboratory for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Mamba Point, Monrovia.
The facilities were officially unveiled during a ceremony attended by government officials and international partners, marking what EPA Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo called “a landmark development in the agency’s history.”
Dr. Yarkpawolo highlighted the laboratory’s advanced forensic capabilities, which will enable Liberia to conduct critical environmental testing locally for the first time. Until now, the nation had relied on costly and time-consuming outsourcing to foreign laboratories.
“For years, the EPA lacked the critical scientific infrastructure needed to effectively execute its mandate,” he said. “With valuable equipment provided by partners like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the EPA is now ready to be robust and effective in ensuring the protection of lives and the environment.”
The new laboratory, built with nearly USD 100,000 in investment, will serve as the foundation of evidence-based environmental regulation in Liberia.
It is designed to monitor water quality, test air pollution levels, track coastal erosion, and analyze essential climate data. Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized that the facility will also play a crucial role as Liberia enters the global carbon market, with ongoing forest and carbon stock inventories helping to strengthen the country’s negotiating position internationally.
Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Sr., who attended the event, hailed the project as a milestone for sustainable development under the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
“For too long, the EPA operated out of rented, substandard facilities that failed to meet the very environmental standards the agency was created to enforce,” he said. “This operational fragmentation hampered efficiency and coordination, casting a shadow on the agency’s credibility. Today, I am proud to say that change has come.”
The newly renovated headquarters, funded with nearly USD 75,000, will enhance coordination and efficiency, while a permanent, climate-resilient EPA headquarters is planned within the next five years. Vice President Koung revealed that the future structure will be powered entirely by renewable energy and incorporate green building technologies, serving as a model for environmentally responsible public infrastructure in Liberia.
“This flagship structure will showcase climate-smart urban design, setting a new standard for sustainable public infrastructure in the country,” he said.
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