Photo: This Day

Aircraft landing.

Liberians are finally weighing in on plans by the Government to finalize an agreement with Equatorial Guinea to revamping of the Roberts International Airport. The sticky issue lies in the fact that Equatorial is regarded as one of the most rights abused and corrupt-ridden nations in Africa currently engulfed in a massive money laundering investigation. While Equatorial is one of Africa's wealthiest nations following the discovery of large oil reserves in 1996 which boosted government revenue, the President Obiang and his family are being keenly monitored by both the United States of America and France. Obiang's son, Teodorin was ordered arrested by France after he failed to appear at a French money-laundering investigation in order to answer questions about how he managed to spend millions of dollars despite earning a modest government salary.

A technical team from Malabo is expected in the country to team up with its Liberia counterparts on the way forward with some US$160 million said to be in the offing for the entire project which will target critical areas including refurbishing of air navigational facilities, new a terminal building, a complete rehabilitation of the existing runway, modernizing of a fire fighting department and the Air Traffic Control Tower tot. Below are a few samplings of how Liberians are feeling about the deal.

ALONZO J. TURKLE

" I don't even know if my view will be taken seriously by those who made that decision. Equatorial Guinea? No! That deal, It should be revisited."

JACAB A. SAMBOLAH

"I think if it had gone through a competitive bidding process Equatorial Guinea will not win. Because we have seen through magazine terminals from other countries; I have seen Ghana Airport and UAE has a state of the arts terminal. I don't know if the UAE, South Africa, America will be in a bid and Equatorial Guinea comes from somewhere and win it? I would squarely prefer United Arab Emirates, because they have a cutting edge technology, which will fast enhance travel. It will also help to improve customer service which is a problem around here. You have nowhere to sit. The airport is like one room. The situation is just deplorable."

JOSEPH VARNEY

"For me I favor America because we don't know that country good self. America is the biggest country in the World. Even if Equatorial Guinea want fix that place they will even go to America for epuipment and other things. And Liberians half of our things we do dat America. I know if America fix the airport it will be modify for us."

LASSANA M. KENNEH

" Revamping the RIA is very good. I would prefer the country that will give us the best service. Let all of them go through the bidding process. And let all of them send in their interest and we will choose the best. We should not go through sympathy or friendship like the way this Equatorial Guinea contract was fast. Or because we friendly with America, that is not our interest. Or not because UAE have a state of the art airport, our interest is the person who will give us the better facilities. Not because they have the best airport means they will give us the same thing. For example China has good and beautiful buildings but look at the sub-standard work they are doing here. We should choice a company that has good track record of building airport."

MOHAMMED D.K.KANNEH

"I believe that government is very smart. We elected the government and they know those things that are good for Liberians. I also believe that among those countries that express interest in revamping the RIA, government has criteria. I strongly believe that government will choose the best and appropriate country. What we the citizens need is for RIA to be revamp. We have confident in the government. "

PATRICK W. GUAH

"For me I strongly prefer the United States of America because of the historical back ground of the RIA. There are some secret properties still attached to the airport. For the government to just decide in haste that they prefer Equatorial Guinea I will say no. In Liberia we say what you started you must end it. When they talk about the demolition of the defense ministry we say no. They say the Chinese must complete it we said no. Because that Israel fixed it so let them end it. They know what the put in the foundation in ground there. On this backdrop I prefer the America."

FRANKLIN K. WESSEH

"When a sister country wants to invest in another it is good thing. But how and when that arrangement came about is the issue of concern. Why Equatorial Guinea? What is the bilateral agreement between that country and Liberia? What kind of service is Equatorial Guinea going to provide? Have we been able to access their own stability and development? Is their own airport better than America? If the government can answer these question when I would say it is a good thing to give the contract to them. RIA does not represent the airport of the oldest Republic in Africa. It speaks volume of how backward we are when it comes to development. We are raising brews because investment and concession agreement in recent times under this government have been too questionable. You find that a handful of people will just take decisions, decisions that will not reflex the acquiescence of the people. I still need to really know what was taken in to consideration before giving the contract to Equatorial Guinea. The Liberian people want to know why Equatorial Guinea was chosen.

PAUL H. SIAFFA

"We have great ties with America. Some infrastructures in this country are highly tied to them. It is very ugly leave them out of it. Maybe Equatorial Guinea, UAE and South Africa can work in other areas but to give them the airport I say no. Equatorial Guinea has fragile security system why would you want to give them your airport? Every now and then there is a coupe d'etat there? You cannot trust your international airport with a country that is always in security problem. That is very detrimental to the survival of this state."

FRANK B. KAMARA

"I will like to ask national government why now? Choosing Equatorial Guinea over America? My question is why now? I give them 24 hours ultimatum to halt to everything. I say that to say it was done single handedly not holistically. The national government supposed to have gotten the views of citizens before going that far I believe. So I give them 24 hours ultimatum to halt to Equatorial Guinea contract and come back to its people for their view. And we will like to see the master plan of those countries. So when that Equatorial Guinea country people coming here this weekend they must bring the master plan, we want to see their plan. No body coming to build trash and call it airport."