General News
“Maintain Feeder Roads”
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- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 26 February 2013 07:25
- Written by The News
…Local Officials Requested
Deputy Public Works Minister for Rural Development and Community Services, Christian G. Herbert has underscored the need for local authorities to formulate a strategy to maintain completed and on-going feeder roads in Bong, Lofa, and Nimba counties.
Deputy Minister Herbert emphasized the importance to sustain huge investment in the infrastructural sector.
He informed local authorities that it is cheaper to maintain rehabilitated feeder roads.
He also called on local leaders to set up a road maintenance crew as a proactive measure to maintain feeder roads until an allotment is placed in the national budget to maintain feeder roads annually.
Also speaking, the Monitoring Consultant to the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) Mr. Ulf Brudefors buttressed the message earlier conveyed by Deputy Minister Herbert concerning the formulation of a strategy to maintain completed and ongoing feeder roads.
He wants contracting entities to consider quality control and standards during the implementation of construction projects.
Mr. Brudefors mandated the Project Implementation Team (PIT) to carry out a risk analysis on the road link from Sanniquellie to Vanyapa, implemented by the Afrique Construction Company in Nimba County.
He also supported a call for a proposed meeting between contracting entities and the project implementation team to address numerous challenges in an attempt to ensure the unhindered implementation of various projects. For his part, the Team Leader of the Liberian Swedish Feeder Roads Project (LSFRP) Belal Hussain informed the authorities that capacity building and training of project stakeholders is an integral part of the project.
He clarified that the measurement of the width and length of each feeder road was based on a feasibility study during an assessment.
Mr. Hussain added that the measurement used was also intended to create access to several other communities.
Responding, Superintendents of the three counties visited, acknowledged benefits accrued as a result of interventions made by the Liberian Swedish Feeder Roads Project (LSFRP) under the auspices of the Ministry of Public Works.
The local authorities outlined access to several communities, reduction in traveling time and transportation fares, increased in agricultural production as well as construction activities are visible, measurable, and realistic in those counties.
While in Bong County, two lawmakers, Senator Henry Yallah and Representative Edward Kafia, requested for intervention in two regions, Yandiwon and Tesly in Yellequelleh and Salala Districts of their county considered to be an agricultural belt.
In Lofa County, the delegation inspected the road link from Salayea to Fassawalazu, Voinjama to Bolongolidu to the Guinean Border, Yandimolahun, Kpakamai, Kpasagizia, Barkedu and Borkeza. The road link from Voinjama to Bolongolidu to the Guinean border, Kpasagizia, Barkedu, and Yandimolahun have been completed. Road work is still ongoing on the link from Salayea to Fassawalazu and the Voinjama City Streets pavement.
In Nimba County, the delegation inspected the road link from Sanniquellie to Dulay, Vanyapa, Nengbein to Yelekoryee, Suarkarzue to Yargoupa, and Yassonor to Payee in Sanniquellie Mah, Yarpea Mah, and Bain Carr Districts respectively. The delegation was impressed with the road work from Zorgorwee to Dulay, Suakarzue to Yargoupa, and Yassonor to Payee.
Nimba County
