Akkar receives
grant of $100 million

Allocation to fund Arab Highway, Lebanese University

The Council of Ministers approved today a grant of $100 million for the Akkar caza for the next three years.

The money will be used to fund main infrastructure projects that have long been needed in the area, according to Akkar Parliament Member, Moin Merehbi.

“We will use part of the money to fund the Arab Highway continuation, which costs $300 million and another part to establish Lebanese University faculties,” he said.

Among the projects that are a top priority in Akkar is the funding of wastewater treatment. “We have few to absolutely no wastewater networks. The area needs hundreds of millions of dollars for this project alone,” he said.

Akkar’s governmental hospital will also be upgraded and well equipped. “We also need another hospital to serve the area because one is not enough,” said Merehbi.

The grant will have a positive role in combating poverty and lack of awareness and in creating permanent job opportunities for an area that constitutes ten percent of Lebanon’s total area, according to Merehbi.

The Council of Ministers approved, more than a year ago, $500 million for the development of projects across the country. Akkar was then only given $7 million to establish a city hall in Halba. Lawmakers have since worked hard to present the study for Akkar’s top infrastructure priorities in order to receive this revised funding.