Bong County – The 81-kilometer Gbarnga–Salayea Road has been officially dedicated by the Liberian government on Tuesday, July 28, marking the conclusion of a significant infrastructure project that took almost ten years to complete and is anticipated to improve trade, transportation, and regional connectivity between Bong and Lofa counties.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony, President Joseph N. Boakai emphasized that the projects signify far more than just building roads, stressing that they stand for solid alliances, trust, and a common goal of improving Liberians’ quality of life.
“You cannot eat a road, but a road will make you eat, explaining that good roads create opportunities for farmers, traders, students, businesses, and families by improving access to markets, education, and essential services,” the president stated.
He thanked the Arab Coordinating Group and its member organizations, such as the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, and BADEA, for their ongoing assistance with Liberia’s development initiatives.
He noted that the partners are enhancing regional integration, fostering community connections, increasing economic prospects, and raising the standard of our communities. Under the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, he reiterated his administration’s dedication to making sure that all infrastructure projects are carried out with excellence, accountability, transparency, and timeliness.
Additionally, President Boakai commended the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, legislators, contractors, development partners, and local communities for their contributions to the projects.
The procedure started in 2010 during Liberia’s debt reduction negotiations under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, according to Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Minister of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) of Liberia. He claimed that after significant road investments had already been made in other regions of the nation, then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf instructed him to give the route top priority, acknowledging it as a crucial development project for Lofa County.
Ngafuan added that the highway’s original technical sketch, which was created in 1989 before the civil war prevented construction, was given by then-Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. According to him, the idea was presented to the Kuwaiti Fund during debt cancellation negotiations, which resulted in an initial $2 million grant for a feasibility study. Later, the Arab Coordination Group, which included the Saudi Fund and other Arab development financiers, mobilized assistance.
While acknowledging that obstacles like the Ebola crisis caused delays in execution, Ngafuan commended both previous and current administrations for continuing the project. Also, he credited President Boakai with reviving negotiations after taking office, noting that the president personally instructed the government delegation to return to Kuwait and reactivate the financing package.
Declaring that “money is not a problem,” the finance minister announced that funding has now been entirely secured. He also expressed optimism that the route will increase access to markets, open up economic prospects, and spur growth in Lofa County and surrounding areas.
Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings gave a summary of the project, stating that China Henan International Cooperation Group (CHICO) was given the contract for the road, which is a section of the Bong–Voinjama–Mendikorma Highway, in December 2017.
He claims that although the project started in 2018 and was supposed to be finished in 36 months, it ended up taking 99 months due to several work stoppages. The minister said that after two contract extensions and accepted modifications, the initial contract value of US$40.858 million increased to almost US$51.9 million, while consulting expenses increased to roughly US$3.7 million.
The minister claims that the road, which was built in accordance with contemporary engineering standards and includes asphalt pavement, enhanced drainage systems, pedestrian walkways, lay-bys, road safety features, and urban upgrades across eight communities along the corridor, has reached about 99 percent physical completion.
He said the highway is designed for speeds up to 80 kilometers per hour in rural sections and 50 kilometers per hour in built-up areas, while accommodating growing commercial and cross-border traffic.
Photo credit: Executive Mansion
