Monrovia, Liberia – Consolidated Contractor Offshore SAL & Consolidated Engineering and Trading Co. SAL Joint Venture (ICCO-CET-JV) and the Ministry of Public Works have signed a contract to pave an 85-kilometer road segment from the Ivorian border through Toe’s Town to Zwedru in Grand Gedeh County.
The project is part of the Rural Economic Transformation Project II (RETRAP 2), which aims to improve trade and commerce between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, increase the country’s road network, and promote agricultural growth. Through the International Development Association (IDA), the Liberia Development Trust Fund, and the Government of Liberia, the World Bank collaboratively finances RETRAP 2.
About 900,000 farmers and road users are anticipated to gain from it, with a major emphasis on improving rural livelihoods and fostering household financial stability. The project is anticipated to greatly improve cross-border trade between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire by linking central and southeast Liberia. The project will improve agricultural programs through trade and business between Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, according to Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings, who highlighted the project’s significance to agricultural growth.
To accelerate progress, Minister Giddings also announced a change in the implementation sequence, noting that civil works will start from Zwedru towards Toe’s Town instead of the original plan. At a cost of slightly more than US$63 million, the project is anticipated to be finished in 36 months. To guarantee successful implementation, the Ministries of Agriculture and Public Works have promised to work closely together.
Road infrastructure is important for the operation of government institutions, according to Agriculture Minister Alexander Nuetah, who cautioned that deficiencies in this area could have a detrimental impact on important industries, including agriculture.
The Infrastructure Implementation Unit (IIU) program manager, Emmanuel Baker, noted that the RETRAP 2 project went through a rigorous procurement process, with 23 companies initially bidding for the contract. The bidder that responded the fastest was ICCO-CET-JV. He called the initiative a significant turning point in Liberia’s plan for infrastructure development.
It is anticipated that the project will greatly increase rural communities’ access to markets and services, boosting their general level of living and economic resilience. Now that the contract has been signed, implementation will start, which is a significant step toward enhancing infrastructure and stimulating the economy in southeast Liberia.
