CAPITOL HILL – Liberia needs an estimated US$7 billion to pave the remaining 11,788 kilometers of its road network, Grand Kru County Senator Albert T. Chie told the Liberian Senate on Thursday, spotlighting what he described as a “critical national infrastructure crisis.”
In a sobering report to plenary, Chie—who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Works and Rural Development—disclosed that only 1,212 kilometers of Liberia’s 13,000-kilometer road network are paved as of December 2024. The rest, he warned, remain unfit for year-round travel, especially during the rainy season when large portions become impassable.
Citing Ministry of Public Works data, Senator Chie estimated that paving the remaining roads with asphalt or concrete would cost between US$600,000 and US$750,000 per kilometer, bringing the total bill to over US$7 billion.
“Road infrastructure development remains one of Liberia’s most pressing post-war challenges,” Chie emphasized. “Our people continue to suffer, especially in the rural parts of the country, due to the poor state of roads.”
The Senator decried the use of laterite roads and makeshift log bridges, which he said not only obstruct economic activities like agriculture and trade but also endanger lives during the rainy season. He pointed to the Pleebo-Barclayville highway as a glaring example of poor road maintenance, blaming underperforming contractors for its deteriorated condition.
Chie called for an immediate review of road contractor performance, citing what he described as a growing pattern of “non-performance” across various corridors. “We believe there are other underperforming contractors along key routes, and the Ministry must act,” he told his colleagues.
Despite the alarming figures, Chie acknowledged ongoing efforts by the government to mitigate the problem. He welcomed plans to procure “yellow machines”—heavy-duty road maintenance equipment—for all counties, as allocated in the 2025 National Budget.
The Senator also reported that the National Road Fund (NRF) has begun assessing major road corridors and contractor performance nationwide, in a move aimed at improving accountability. He said reforms are underway to review the National Road Fund Act and expand its funding base.
Legislative Proposals
In a set of recommendations submitted to the plenary, Senator Chie urged that all road maintenance revenues collected for the NRF be channeled directly into a dedicated escrow account, instead of the Consolidated Fund managed by the Central Bank of Liberia. This, he argued, would ensure faster access to funds for road maintenance and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He further proposed that the Ministry of Public Works be mandated to regularly evaluate contractor performance and terminate contracts that fail to meet benchmarks.
“The funds are already in the budget,” Chie said, referring to the yellow machines. “The Executive should not delay procurement. The condition of our roads demands urgency.”
Chie also called on the national government to develop a comprehensive external and domestic borrowing strategy to fund large-scale road construction. He argued that such investment is not only necessary but long overdue.
Committee Oversight and Ministry Coordination
As part of its quarterly oversight duties, Chie said the Senate Committee on Public Works requested and received detailed road infrastructure data from the Ministry of Public Works in March 2025. The submission included information on:
– Total lengths of paved and unpaved roads
– Lists of ongoing and planned road projects
– Donor-funded infrastructure initiatives
– Updates on high-profile developments like the Chinese overpass and Bali Island project
– Road concession projects under negotiation
– Reports on deteriorating roads in Central Monrovia and other major arteries
The Committee also held a separate engagement with the Management of the NRF in April, as the dry season ended, to assess the progress of the road program and recommend legislative fixes.
A National Emergency, Not Just a Development Issue
Chie’s remarks come at a time when transportation across the country remains a logistical nightmare for ordinary citizens and businesses. Market access for farmers, delivery of medical supplies, and even school attendance are all hindered by Liberia’s fractured road network.
“As the rainy season begins, large swathes of the country will once again be cut off,” Chie warned. “If we are serious about development, this is where it must start—on the road.”
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