IPNEWS – Monrovia: Addressing the regular Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs & Tourism press briefing, Acting Minister of Public Works, Ruth Coker disclosed details of 20 ongoing projects being undertaken by President George Weah’s administration. She noted most people do not have the opportunity to travel outside of Monrovia to see some of the things the Ministry is doing.

Minister Coker said the 20 ongoing projects include the Roberts International Airport (RIA) road project; the corridor between Gabriel Tucker Bridge and St. Paul Bridge; the overpass to be constructed between the SKD Boulevard and the Ministerial Complex and the Somalia Drive Road. The Somalia Drive, which was renamed during Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration to Japanese Drive, will be dedicated on July 26, 2021.

According to the Works Acting Minster, the projects also include the Cocoa Cola Factory Road project; Harper Road project, about 66 kilometers completed; Fish Town road project; Ganta to Yekepa road; Sanniquellie to Logatuo road Gbarnga to Salala road, respectively.

According to her, the RIA road is 45 km long and will be 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 noted 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 City 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.

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 US$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.

She said the government has already signed to launch this project in October 2021, 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 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.

Demolition of market structures in the way of the road construction was expected to have commenced Sunday, 11 July. The government will clear the area to give access to contractors to carry out their work.