Photo credit: eMansion
President Boakai Breaks Ground on Historic $85M Voinjama-Mendikorma Road Project to Boost Cross-Border Trade
86 Kilometers of road as part of a Design, Build, Operate & Transfer PPP Concession with Pavi Forte
MENDIKORMA, LOFA COUNTY: Saturday, May 23, 2026 in the town of Mendikorma along the Liberia-Sierra Leone border point, cross-sections of citizens from the two Mano River Union countries, converged for the Official Groundbreaking of the Second Leg of the Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) PPP Concession with Pavi Forte for the construction of 255 Kilometers of roads in the Western and Northern parts of the country-of which 86 kilometers of road will be built between Voinjama and Mendikorma, as mentioned supra.
The border ceremony triggered a flare that was enchanching, and the glamor that greeted the event was readily reverberated across neighboring towns and villages at the border.
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai at the center of this euphoria, extolled various Stakeholders including the Ministry of Public Works [whose Minister, other Officials and staff were asked to stand] in recognition of a mammoth stewardship.
The Liberian Chief Executive also praised the Sierra Leonean Government and Contractor Pavi Forte for the partnership, noting that the construction of the road corridor between Voinjama and Mendikorma marks a pivotal moment in Liberia’s strive for better roads.
For his part, Public Works Minister Roland Layfette Giddings said it was with immense pride and deep sense of purpose for him, like many others who gathered, to witness the historic groundbreaking ceremony of the 86-kilometer Voinjama–Mendikorma road corridor in Lofa County.
Minister Giddings continued: “Today, we do not merely turn the soil of this beloved land. Today, we turn the page on decades of isolation, missed opportunity, and hardship for our people in the north.
Lofa County has long been recognized as the breadbasket of Liberia. The fertile soils of this great county produce wealth of agricultural activities that feed our nation, yet for too long the farmers of Lofa have watched their harvests rot along impassable roads, unable to reach the markets in Monrovia and beyond.”
He also used the occasion to extend sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. and the people of Liberia for their continuous support to the Ministry of Public Works, and rallied the communities along this corridor—the landowners, the local leaders, and the citizens—to be stewards of the investment.
Also speaking, Deputy Minister for Technical Services Prince Tambah said the project covers a total distance of 86 kilometers, beginning in Voinjama City, and passes through Kailahun and Foya, terminating at Mendikorma on the border with the Republic of Sierra Leone.
The Public Works Official also intimated the Voinjama-Mendikorma Road Project is designed to be implemented over a three-year period at an estimated construction cost of 85 million United States dollars.
He furthered: “The road will be constructed to modern asphalt pavement standards. In the rural sections, the carriageway will have a total width of 10.3 meters, including 1.5-meter shoulders on both sides. Within urban sections, particularly in town areas, the width will expand to 20.6 meters, including dedicated 2.5-meter parking lanes to improve traffic management and urban mobility.
