It is glaring that the evidence is visible to critical minds and even members of the opposition community that President Joseph Boakai and his ruling Unity Party’s road campaign promise has profoundly taken shape.
Major high ways and feeder roads across the Country once impassible, have now become pliable, boosting economic activities in most parts of the country, pointing to an admirable degree of the government’s commitment to road connectivity.
Unlike the past, the Southeastern road corridor once considered one of the worst in the country, has significantly improved, relieving commuters of high transport fares and the stress of spending many days and weeks commuting from one point to another.
in recent years, commercial and other vehicles spent many days and weeks on major highways due to their unworthy condition for travel.
Road rehabilitation and construction were among campaign promises that catapulted Boakai and his ruling Unity Party to state power in 2023.
Critics of President Boakai’s immediate past predecessor, George Weah and his CDC government, said he made less effort or no effort at all to rehabilitate major road corridors across the Country, including the one leading to his own Southeastern Region. During the six years of his administration, the former President travelled through neighboring Ivory Coast to visit the Region.
During the 2023 presidential debate, Boakai, now president, emphasized the importance of road connectivity and said good roads help to alleviate economic hardship.
This Paper is hearing that the Ministry of Public Works has demolished undesirable structures, nearly two hundred homes in Jorao Statutory District, to kick-start the construction of a 50-kilometer road in Grand Kru County.
MPW officials said the demolition was npart of an exercise to clear the right-of-way for the road project.
Grand Kru County Resident Engineer, Bill S. Parker, said the demolition exercise affected communities whose residents received resettlement action plan (RAP) payments.
Mr. Parker further disclosed that the demolition exercise will continue in Barclayville, from the George Bush Bridge to the end of the Chip Seal Junction as soon as the inhabitants receive their RAP payments.
The exercise began on April 28 this year and affected other communities, including Nrokia, Wessah, and Daryokpo.
The 50-km pavement is expected to improve connectivity between Barclayville, Sasstown, and key towns in Grand Kru County.
The road project, funded by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), was negotiated during the administration of former President George Weah, Parker said.
The MPW official also disclosed that as part of massive preparations, the Grand Kru County administration, in collaboration with the Works Ministry, has provided 20 acres of land in Nrokwia to ASHOKA Buildcon LTD, the contractor for campsite construction.
Ashoka Buildcon Limited is an Indian company.
Speaking recently in the Region, Parker told the local media, that the demolition exercise has ended and pavement work is scheduled to commence in early October this year.
Parker also told reporters the Ministry of Public Works, in collaboration with the Grand Kru County administration, has identified more than four critical areas that need rehabilitation, particularly along the Sasstown corridors that he said are rapidly deteriorating.
He further disclosed that authorities in Barclayville have begun clearing a site for the government yellow machines to be parked.
