By Kruah Thompson
Acting Public Works Minister Ruth Coker has disclosed details of 20 ongoing projects embarked upon under President George Mannah Weah’s administration, noting that most people do not have the opportunity to travel outside of Monrovia to see some of the things the ministry is doing.
At the Ministry of Information’s Thursday, 8 July 2021 press briefing, Minister Coker said the 20 ongoing projects include the Roberts International Airport (RIA) road project; the corridor between Gabriel Tuckers Bridge and St. Paul Bridge; the overpass to be constructed between the SKD Boulevard and the Ministerial Complex and the Somalia Drive road which will be dedicated on July 26 this year.
The projects also include the Cocoa Cola Factory road project; Harper road project, about 66 kilometers completed; Fish Town road project; Ganta to Yekapa road; Sanniquellie to Logatuo road Gbarnga to Salala road, respectively.
According to her, the RIA road is 45 km long and has been upgraded to four lanes beginning from the ELWA Junction to the airport in Margibi County.
She disclosed that the RIA road project costs approximately US$116 million, including design and construction, monitoring and supervision and a cost of compensation for those alone the RIA corridor.
Minister Coker said before the project was embarked upon, an act was approved on January 18, 2020, by the Legislature and printed into a handbill on January 20, 2020.
She explained that the project’s start date is April 2021, and it has a duration of three years. Minister Coker continued that the current detail of the project is engaging the first 10 kilometers, which will be from RIA to ELWA junction, around the Unification area.
The Acting Public Works Minister said so much has been done on the RIA project, but it has been slowed down due to the rain.
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Minister Coker indicated that she wants to show the Liberian people that the Ministry of Public Works is working, saying the country is gradually improving.
Additionally, Minister Coker noted that after a couple of discussions with the Japanese Ambassador upon his visit to Liberia, it was agreed that the sum of 20 million will be given to the Government of Liberian for the corridor between Gabriel Tuckers Bridge and St. Paul Bridge.
According to her, the first proposal presented to the Japanese government highlighted the entire length, but because of the Covid – 19, the Japanese government agreed to give 20 million to the Government of Liberia to construct at least two to three kilometers.
Minister Coker revealed that two overpasses will be constructed at the SKD Boulevard and the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town regarding the overpass.
She said the government has already signed to lunch this project in October of this year, adding that Chinese teams are already in the country and carrying out surveys and technical work.
Concerning the Cocoa Cola Factory road project, Minister Coker said the road is 100 kilometers and is funded by the World Bank. The government’s concern is to have the marketers removed from the way to give access to contractors to contractors carry out their work.
She said last year, a segment of the road was not completed because of the marketers.
The Public Works boss said the ministry is working closely with the Liberian Marketing Association to ask sellers to go back to the market constructed by the president and leave the road.
She added that the market women have agreed to go back to the market, and there will be a lot of activities in the corridor this week.
She said from Sunday, 11 July, the government will be doing clearing to give access to contractors for them to carry out their work.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/liberia-china-pen-deal-for-overpass-bridges/—Edited by Winston W. Parley
