Monrovia – Former Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Armah Zolu Jallah, has accused Public Works Minister Roland Lafayette Giddings of ill-advising President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on road rehabilitation strategy. Jallah contends that Giddings’ strategy of embarking on full-scale rehabilitation of major roads during the rainy season was ill-conceived, resulting in deteriorated road conditions and exacerbated hardships for citizens.
President Boakai had pledged during his campaign that, upon assuming office, no vehicle would be stuck in the mud within his first 100 days, committing to make all major corridors passable across the country. Nearly nine months into his administration, there are widespread reports and public outcry over major roads becoming inaccessible due to their deplorable conditions.
Speaking as a guest on the “Prime Morning Drive” on Prime FM in Monrovia over the weekend, Jallah, a former senator of Gbarpolu County and a stalwart of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), expressed deep concerns about the current state of Liberia’s roads.
“I think the Minister of Public Works should have given proper advice or suggestions to the president,” Jallah stated. “Yes, I know that the president made a campaign promise that in the first 100 days, cars would not hitch in the mud. But the minister should have suggested patching those major deplorable roads and waiting for the dry season for proper rehabilitation—something he failed to do.”
Jallah believes that Minister Giddings’ failure to properly advise the president has led to increased discomfort and hardship for citizens, particularly in rural areas like Nimba County. He asserted that the decision to focus solely on full rehabilitation during the rainy season was not practical and has resulted in economic losses for local businesses due to inaccessible roads.
“Minister Giddings’ inability to have properly advised the president about patching those roads and waiting later for full rehabilitation has continued to cause discomfort, increase hardship on the citizens, and strangulate local businesses, thus causing huge economic or financial losses for the people,” Jallah emphasized.
He suggested that minor repairs during the rainy season, such as applying crushed rocks to the most problematic sections, would have been more practical and effective in alleviating immediate challenges until full rehabilitation could be undertaken in the dry season.
The former lawmaker also raised concerns about the procurement process related to the 285 earth-moving equipment acquired by the Unity Party administration for road construction across the country. While acknowledging that the intent might be good, Jallah stressed that the Boakai-Koung administration must adhere to the required procurement procedures.
“We campaigned for the president on the basis of experience, and that experience would provide for following the rule of law,” he asserted. “The rule of law provides that in acquiring assets for the republic, there has to be a procurement process that must be followed by the companies of concern.”
In July, the Ministry of Public Works presented evidence of President Boakai’s 100-day road maintenance deliverables. As promised during the electoral process—”no car will get stuck in the mud within the first 100 days”—the Ministry compiled a list of accomplishments implemented within the four months of the administration.
The Ministry announced that it had successfully addressed longstanding issues of bad roads, particularly during the rainy season, which hindered the movement of commuters, including business people, students, health workers, and others. The rehabilitation of twelve major road corridors, previously plagued by poor conditions, was undertaken based on a comprehensive technical assessment.
These road corridors were divided into four zones across the country: the Western Corridor covering Montserrado, Bomi, and Gbarpolu Counties; the Coastal Corridor including Grand Bassa, River Cess, and Sinoe Counties; the Southeast Corridor that covers Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, and Grand Kru Counties; and the Northwest Corridor encompassing Nimba and Lofa Counties.
A Joint Technical Working Group, comprising engineers from both the Technical and Rural Development departments, conducted assessments and prepared Bills of Quantities (BOQs) to guide contractors on technical specifications.
The Ministry disclosed that the selection of contractors was based on their legal registration, licensing, and ability to perform road construction work. The President’s 100-day deliverables project required contractors with the requisite equipment and technical experience for timely and effective maintenance interventions.
A “No Objection” was obtained from the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), which allowed the Ministry to proceed with the rehabilitation and periodic maintenance of primary road corridors. The total budget for the project was USD $22,389,598.13, as confirmed by a commitment letter from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Contrary to public speculation, the Ministry clarified that the total payment to contractors so far is USD $8,955,838.05. The contracts run for two years, with some corridors having a one-year duration, and additional payments will be processed as per the terms of the contracts. The Ministry emphasized that no additional funds have been received from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning beyond the initial amount.
Despite these efforts, the Ministry acknowledged challenges posed by the rainy season. Heavy rainfall, attributed to climate change, has impacted project timelines and road conditions. While significant progress has been reported, some areas remain affected due to weather-related disruptions.
Citizens across the country have expressed mixed reactions to the state of road rehabilitation. While some acknowledge the government’s efforts as outlined in the Ministry’s report, others share Jallah’s concerns about the current conditions of the roads.
Sarah Johnson, a trader from Nimba County, expressed her frustrations: “We appreciate the government’s efforts, but the roads are still bad in many places. The rainy season has made things worse, and we need immediate solutions.”
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