Minister Roland Layfette Giddings and a Delegation from the Ministry of Public Works departed Monrovia on Thursday, July 4, 2024 to inspect phase one of the Ganta to Yeakepa road project. Phase one, which is 37 kilometers, stretches from Ganta to Sanniquellie and is at 100% completion. The scope of the trip was to verify the standard and quality agreed upon in the contract document signed between the Government of Liberia and CSE, the contracting company hired to do the road. 

The Ministry’s Delegation made few stops along their journey to Sanniquellie to inspect box and circular culverts, the firmness of the base, barner, and wearing courses to ensure durability. Also, the Delegation carried out a thorough analysis of the asphalt and was found to be of the highest quality, guaranteeing the longevity of the road.
Minister Giddings appraised the road as an economic booster- citing the reduction in travel time, the reduction in transportation fare, the ease of transporting farm produce to larger markets, the unprecedented decline in the prices of inelastic commodities such as gasoline and rice, increase in enrollment at secondary and tertiary institutions, access to medical facilities, etc. 

On the margins of the trip, the Ministry’s Delegation held discussions with Arcello Mittal Liberia in Yeakepa to work out the possibility of commencing phase-2 of the project in the soonest possible time. The Delegation emphasized the importance of completing the remaining 30 kilometers road project to connect Sanniquellie to Yeakepa. 
In his remark, Minister Giddings conveyed the Government’s appreciation of Arcello Mittal’s ontinuous support to the infrastructure sector of Liberia. He particularly thanked the company for already laying out the sub-base and barner courses of the road between Sanniquellie to Yeakepa making the corridor pliable, something he said will reduce the cost of construction.

Minister Giddings furthered that the Government is willing to do as may be required, though lawfully, for the project to kickstart, stating that the road project is long overdue.
However, the Minister cautioned the company to be law abiding by acquiring a Construction Permit before any structure is erected within the concession area. He stressed that while the Government of Liberia acknowledges and appreciates the good dealings of Arcello Mittal, it is not a reason not to enforce the law. In his words: “the law is the law” and to this, no one is an exception.