The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has with immediate effect removed the stay order placed on the pavement of the Gbarnga Broad Street in Bong County.Our Bong County correspondent says the stay order was placed on the pavement of the road through a written communication from Bong County authorities to the Ministry of Public Works on grounds that Sidani Group Holding Company that was hired to do the job was allegedly doing substandard works.
That project had first been awarded to East-International Group Incorporated under the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, but it came to a standstill 2017.However the Ministry of Public Works captured the incomplete Gbarnga Broad Street rigid pavement construction project under the Public Sector Investment Program which highlights road connectivity under the pro-poor agenda, with Sidani Group Holding becoming the new contractor.
The Gbarnga Broad Street project is one Kilometer, and the company is to construct three other roads including the 1.5km Fairground Road in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County; the 71.7 km ELWA-Rehab Community Road in Paynesville, Montserrado County and the 1.2 km Chugbor Road in Sinkor, suburb of Monrovia.
According to a letter dated 18 January 2019 and sent to Mr. Bassam Sidani, the Head of the company, a copy of which is in the possession of our correspondent, the issue was raised by Bong County resident engineer and the local government of Bong County regarding the change of scope to the Gbarnga City Broad Street rigid pavement construction project.It brought the project to a halt by the Ministry of Public Works since 9 January 2019.
Our correspondent says the Ministry has meanwhile instructed Sidani Group Holding to construct and complete the pavement project consistent with the existing carriageway of 9.5 meter instead of 7.3 meters as earmarked in the project document for community roads.Mr. Sidani is also instructed to construct 800 meters of roads in linear length, using rigid concrete pavement at 200 millimeters or 8 inches thickness instead of 1km in order to reach a compromise in terms variation.
They are also mandated to do all road furniture, including sidewalks and drainages which are to be constructed along the 800 meters road section and construct the road in line with the technical specification issued the company under the watch of the supervision consultant, JLN International.
The company is asked by the Ministry of Public Works to submit its adjusted work schedule to the consultant for prompt resumption of works on the Gbarnga Broad Street project.
By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong–Edited by Winston W. Parley
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