Monrovia — Construction and repair work on some of Monrovia's main thoroughfares officially began Friday, marking the launch of the first phase of an emergency road repair project sponsored by the government of Liberia and the World Bank.

Many of Liberia's roads were destroyed or neglected during the country's 14 years of civil war, and extraordinarily heavy rains over the past few years have damaged them further.

The road rehabilitation project - contracted to the China Henan International Cooperation Group (Chico) - is expected first to repair main roads within the capital and those connecting it to other major cities along the coast. A second phase will repair roads in rural areas.

At a ground-breaking event marking the beginning of the project, Minister of Public Works Loseni Dunzo said the first phase of the project would employ about 300 Liberians.

A representative of Chico said the project currently employs 150 and hopes to contribute to reconstruction by focusing on "knowledge transfer," adding that the company "will be in Liberia for at least 20 years."

World Bank country manager Luigi Giovine said that Chico – a company which currently has several construction projects throughout the continent - "won the contract fair and square."

The company is under pressure from the government and donors to finish the first phase of repairs before the rainy season resumes in April. The Chinese ambassador to Liberia encouraged Chico to "do an excellent job in quality and speed," warning "if you [Chico] fail to do so, you will have to go home."

Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf welcomed the beginning of the construction, noting the importance of connecting rural, food-producing areas to markets in urban areas.

The high cost of transporting goods to market means many Liberians depend on expensive imports. In Monrovia, a large bag of rice costs up to U.S. 25 dollars. With repaired roads, she said, "we can begin to tackle the high price of commodities."

However, according to Dunzo, there is still no funding available for the 25.2-million-dollar second phase of construction to repair Liberia's rural roads.