By Tokpa M. Tarnue tarnue82@gmail.com
Voinjama, Liberia- Labor Minister Moses Y. Kollie says plans have been finalized by the George Weah government to extend the Gbarnga-Mendekoma road project to Voinjama City instead of Salayea as previously designed by the past administration of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Appearing on a local Community radio in Voinjama over the weekend, Minister Kollie who is also the National Vice Chair for the CDC, disclosed that the road project scheduled to begin in October 2018, will be completed before the end of the remaining five-year tenure of President George Weah.
The Former Lofa County District # 5 Representative said the Gbarnga- Mendekoma road project is among several development projects earmarked by the Liberian leader to be completed within four to five years.
“Once the road project reaches Voinjama city, it will boost agriculture and commercial activities; thereby promoting development in Lofa County,” the Labour Minister said.
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According to Kollie, the decision to extend the road to voinjama city followed series of discussions between the government and contractors.
He further disclosed that discussions on phase two of the road linking Voinjama and Mendekorma and Vahun to the western region are ongoing.
The government of Liberia on December 22, 2017 broke grounds for the pavement of the 81-kilometer road from Gbarnga, Bong County to Salayea in Lofa County.
At the ceremony, former President Sirleaf who kicked off the project thanked legislators for ratifying the loan agreement that gave paved way for funding for the project.
The president also lauded funders and called on citizens of Bong and Lofa counties to take ownership of the road project.
“This is your road, people of Bong and Lofa Counties, so you need to protect it to ensure it is constructed,” Sirleaf said at the time.
The project, which will cost about US$40.5m, is being implemented by CHICO–a Chinese company.