-A News Public Trust www.newspublictrust Podcast with Frank Sainworla

When he officially broke grounds for another Japan-funded road corridor—Freeport to Gabriel Tucker bridge—last Friday, July 3, 2026, Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai said:

“This road is one of the most strategically important transport corridors in our country,” the Liberian leader said in his keynote address at the ground breaking ceremony for a road costing US$18 million. After Building The Freeport-Redlight Road, Japan Fully Funding Another US$18M Corridor To Vai Town – News Public Trust

But what the President didn’t say is what maintenance plan the government will put in place to ensure that the new road, in the wake of poor maintenance of another Japanese-funded 1.6 kilometers road corridor—the Japan Freeway linking the US$100 million Freeport of Monrovia to Redlight in the Paynesville suburb. The new 1.6 kilometer Freeport-Gabriel Tucker bridge is due to be completed in two years.

Why a maintenance plan is necessary: It is almost exactly five years since the Japan Freeway was dedicated on July 26, 2026 by former President George Manneh Weah. But sadly it has since been poorly maintained by the Liberian government and people, something that was a gift of the Japanese government and people.

All along a good portion of the stretch four-lane modern road are heaps of garbage on the sidewalks, while the beautiful decorations of flowers and grass are all but gone. This news outlet has been tracking the poor upkeep of this road corridor as far back as 2003 as with other roads funded by foreign international donors. When Will We (Liberians) Learn To Keep Our Sanitation House In Order? – News Public Trust

When we took our camera through the Japan Freeway within 48 hours after the new Freport-Gabriel Tucker bridge road corridor, virtually nothing seemed to have changed since over the few years.