Liberia's Minister of Public Works, Samuel Kofi Woods, II says the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructures require intensive exploration of new technology and ideology.

He said the reconstruction and development of Liberia's infrastructures must be the collective participation of all Liberians, adding "We must protect the integrity of our infrastructures at all levels."

Speaking during the Otta Seal construction demonstration at the Madina-Robertsport highway in Grand Cape Mount County last Thursday, Minister Woods said it was important moment in his administration as Minister of Public Works for a new technology called "Otta Seal" to be introduced for the first time.

He said he was proud that the new technology in road rehabilitation was introduced during the regime of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and his tenure as Minister at the Ministry of Public Works. He said the leadership of the ministry of public works looks forward to the testing and realization of result from the Otta Seal demonstration.

Earlier, the Project Manager of UMDA Consultant, Mr. Asa Awuku said there are several advantages in the use of the "Otta Seal". Otta Seal according to him provides lower vehicle operations and maintenance cost riding quality and safety among several others.

"One type of bituminous surfacing that has proved to be very effective in several operations is the Otta Seal. The technology has been used in Botswana, Kenya, Norway, etc," he said. According to him, the Otta Seal construction graded aggregate is spread and rolled on a relatively thick film of soft binder. He said rolling and trafficking the binder to seep it was upward which was upgraded at the aggregate of variety of sizes between 0.057mm to 16mm.

Also speaking at the demonstration site, the Senior Senator of Grand Cape Mount County, Abel Massaley thanked both the ministry of Public Works and the United States Agency for International Development (USIAD) for their farsightedness in exploring the technology. He however pleaded with the international community for more assistance in a making the dream a reality.

The demonstration is the first of its kind in the country since its invention. It was tested at the end of Madina-Robertsports highway in Grand Cape Mount County.

Otta Seal is a new technology introduced by the Sam Shawki Fawaz (SSF) which is being contracted by the Liberia Community Infrastructure program (LCIP) with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to rehabilitate 43 KM stretch of road which links Robertsport to Madina. USAID provided total grant value of US$3 million to rehabilitate the road.