‘‘President Weah Deserves 2nd Term To Continue Good Road Works’’ – Collins

President Weah’s flagship programme is road construction, as part of Infrastructure development of Liberia. This responsibility is  domicled in the Ministry of  Public Works. The Minister, Hon. Ruth Coker Collins has a rich reservoir in the construction industry. In this interview, she explains some road construction projects in her ministry, her achievements and challenges so far

The flagship program of President Weah is infrastructure, particularly roads construction. What is the current state of road construction in Liberia, along other infrastructural developments?

I want to thank President Weah for giving me the opportunity to serve two years ago, as Minister of Public Works. Under my watch, we have done massive infrastructural works in road construction. We have primary and secondary road construction works in all the counties. We do have feeder roads as well.

The focus of President Weah is road connectivity. The most important road construction is the Roberts International Airport RIA. This road commenced in 2022, even though there were challenges, especially the rains. The project is actually progressing, with more pavements already. The entire corridor of the road project is 45 km. We are currently concentrating on the first 20km on both ends. The project is actually progressing. The contractor is EAST International. The Project Implementation Unit PIU is managing the project. Tremendous progress are ongoing on the project.

The second is the 6.1 km road project that starts from ELWA junction to Coca Cola junction. The road is progressing, with 5.2 km completed. The remaining part is the ELWA junction where we are changing the design to put a round about, first of its kind in our country.

Then in Nimba county. a 39km road from Ganta to Sakipi. The contractor has done up to20km; the remaining portion will be completed before the elections. The contractors and consultants are mobilized, with road project to be completed before the elections. It is funded by the Government of Liberia and the World Bank.

Then another project from Ganta to SaniKore. It is a 37km road. It is 98% completed and will be dedicated soon upon approval by the President. It is a major milestone for the people of Nimba and the entire country.

We also have the ECOWAS Coastal Highway Project. The contractors have been mobilized, with construction on the first12km portion.

Now in Monrovia, the capital city, we are undertaking a bridge – to- bridge construction work. We have to do some pavements before elections. We have done the pavements on Johnson road to Caldwell and other community roads in Monrovia.

Let me also mention about the Lofa road from Salaye to Konya, we’ve commenced engagements with the Arab funding agencies. So the whole country will be inter-connected, seamlessly, under the effective watch and commitment for President Weah.

In a word, the entire country has become a construction work yard. It’s an ongoing process, though with challenges, like the heavy rains, that impede road construction works. However, we are making tremendous progress that demand a second term of the President, to continue the good works.

Apart from the rains, what are your other challenges so far?

Most of our roads are financed through the road funds. The demands from the people are also many. The road fund and the Ministry of Finance are supportive, but our, main challenge is having our own equipment. Sometimes, the cash flows delays are other challenges we encounter. Government allocates scarce resources to extremely competing demands for the people.

You are a Female Minister in a tasking portfolio. This makes you thick. How far has the journey been, as a female minister, in a ministry, that is male-dominated, in most African countries?

This is a good question. It is, indeed, a male-dominated ministry. Before I resumed as minister, I worked with the United Nations for 8years, both local and international. Upon my return to Liberia, I registered my construction firm with the Ministry of Public Works. A chain of confidence- building mechanism developed, which enabled me to understudy the nittiy-gritty of the ministry of works, its organogram, its modus operandi and even its challenges.

More so, what men can do, women can also do, is another consideration in the choice of head of the Public Ministry. So President Weah did the right decision to appoint a female to head the Public Works, due to the track records of the holder and gender equity considerations.

What is the working relationship with colleague Ministers in the West African Region?

When I was appointed Minister, I had the opportunity to travel to Sierra Leone to see how the road toll system works. We are also planning to visit other African countries, especially West African countries to see how we can collaborate in road infrastructure activities.

We started with road fund that is been implemented by the Weah administration, that sets aside certain percentage of a gallon of fuel for road maintenance. This was absent in previous administrations. So we hope to develop a frame work to understudy other African countries’ road infrastructural activities, how the roads are constructed, maintained by self-generating mechanisms, through toll systems and the like.