MONROVIA – Despite claims by the Ministry of Public Works that the Duala-Tubmanburg Road is being reconditioned, road users and residents have pointed out significant issues. They have expressed concerns and frustration about the deplorable condition of the road and safety issues, complaining that heavy trucks owned by Western Cluster Mining Company are destroying the road and putting commuters at risk.
Report by Blamo N. Toe with The Liberian Investigator
On Wednesday, June 5, Roland Giddings, Minister of Public Works, announced that the company had settled its outstanding taxes, prompting the issuance of the company’s road user permit. He announced that the company was making strides in the repairs of the road.
“The repairs are ongoing on that corridor currently. They have completed the repairs from Senator Snowe’s Farm Junction to Clay, from Clay now to St. Paul Bridge. If you use that corridor now, you will see the work taking place,” Minister Giddings told OK FM.
Minimum Effect
However, many users of the Duala-Tubmanburg route say the rehabilitation of the road is proceeding at a snail’s pace and making little impact.
Musa V. Kamara, Chief Driver of the Federation of Road Transport Union of Liberia (FRTUL) Montserrado County Chapter, acknowledges that work is being done but with minimal effect.
“I used to spend an hour and 40 minutes traveling from Tubmanburg to Duala some years back, but now, it takes more time to travel from Monrovia to Clay,” taxi driver Sando Kamara told The Liberian Investigator.
Another taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said that before Western Cluster’s operations, it took him about 45 minutes to travel from Duala to Tubmanburg, but now, due to the deplorable condition of the road, it takes nearly two hours. This is because of the many massive potholes on the road.
“We’re still seeing problems on the road, especially from the Clay Checkpoint to Po River, which should not be in such bad condition,” adds Adam Gray, a local motorcycles inspector.
Meanwhile, Kamara, who has driven along the route for over 20 years, praises the new government for pushing the company to fix the road, adding, “Western Cluster only used to put big crush rocks on the road, to the disadvantage of taxi drivers and motorcyclists.”
Snail’s Pace Fixing
Some works are ongoing but at a slow pace, motorists and residents say. The stretch of the road connecting Red Hill Community, Po River, and Sass Town has seen some rehabilitation.
However, bad spots at the Tubmanburg parking around the Kuwait/Beer Factory Interception in Duala, the stretch from Sass Town and Clay, Po River, and Clay and Jenneh #3 in Dewein District on the Bomi-Monrovia Highway have seen no interventions so far.
The current situation along the corridor contradicts earlier pronouncements by the Works Ministry that reconditioning of the road is being done from the junction of the BIO CHICO Company to Clay Town Junction in Bomi County.
Worried about Iron Ore Trucking
Residents of communities along the route are still worried about the company’s heavy trucks transporting iron ores.
“There is no need for reconditioning the road when the heavy-duty trucks of the company are still using the corridor to transport iron ores from Tubmanburg to the Freeport of Monrovia,” explains Mohammed Konah, a resident of Amadou Town.
“As you can see, the road is bad. We have an old road, and then they brought these types of equipment on it. We have Western Cluster, Bea Mountain, and BIO CHICO Companies on the road, but the road is still bad.”
Konah claims the road was “very deplorable before the ongoing rehabilitation process,” arguing that “the road cannot withstand the heavy weight of those [iron ore] trucks.”
“If the government fixes this road for the citizens, it will be good, but if the company continues to use the same equipment on it, fixing the road will make no sense. The government should stop Western Cluster from using it,” Konah adds.
Earlier in June, Minister Giddings assured that the government is putting in place a mechanism to avoid the company’s misuse of the road.
“They are doing heavy-duty repairs of the road and we’re going to implement measures to ensure they don’t move as they used to,” Minister Giddings said. “We’re going to make sure they reduce the tonnage. We’re going to install a weight bridge right after Po River. Within three months, Western Cluster should install that.”
“Reckless” Western Cluster Drivers
Meanwhile, some residents have accused the company’s truck drivers of reckless driving, thereby endangering commuters.
“The truck drivers act like this road belongs to them alone. They drive at high speeds at night,” explains Maima Sarnor, a resident of a community along the road.
“When they approach a motorbike or other small cars, they never slow down. They move directly towards the vehicles until they are forced to jump off the road,” she added.
Taxi driver Kamara adds: “The government should have empathy for the citizens. Just imagine the condition of the road is bad, and with the way those truck drivers drive, you will run into the bush if you’re not a brave driver due to the way they drive and continuously honk their horns.”
Gray, the local motorcyclist union inspector for Clay Town, says three people, including his brother, were recently injured by a Western Cluster truck.
“A Western Cluster driver hit my brother and broke his foot while dodging a pothole before reaching Clay Junction. My brother had three students on his motorbike; they all got wounded and are now in the hospital,” Gray explains. “My brother cannot work anymore, and the company is not even showing concern.”
Calls to Ban Trucking of Ores Heighten
Amid these concerns, calls for the government to ban the trucking of iron ore by Western Cluster have intensified. Some residents of communities along the route say the company should construct a rail to transport the ore. They described the re-issuance of the road user’s permit to Western Cluster as “counterproductive to the development of Tubmanburg and the improvement of the lives of the citizens.”
There have been several reported incidents of injury along the road due to reckless driving since the company began trucking ores along the route. Commercial motorcyclists have always decried the conduct of these truck drivers.
Motorcyclists plying the road told The Liberian Investigator that these truck drivers are not cautious about other road users.
“They will take the whole lane, forcing you off your lane,” explains motorcyclist Edward Deemie. “If this road is fixed and Western Cluster remains on it, the road will spoil again, and it will not last as long as expected.”
“The government prioritizes money over the welfare of the country,” laments taxi driver Komara. “They’ve got a whole company operating here, yet Bomi remains impoverished.”
Looming Violence
Another taxi driver only identified as “Praise the Lord Bomi,” has threatened to set ablaze trucks belonging to Western Cluster.
“If they don’t advise their drivers to stop excessive speeding and continuous honking on the road, we will burn the trucks. Are these trucks the only ones supposed to use the road? Citizens and other drivers are entitled to use it too,” he said.
Discussion about this post