Monrovia — Grand Kru County Senator Numene Bartekwa has underscored the need for the government to secure a US$2billion loan from international financial institutions for the construction of the 760 undeveloped primary roads to help alleviate the sufferings Liberians are encountering across the country, especially south-eastern Liberia due to deplorable road conditions.
According to him, the prices of basic commodities, especially rice, continue to skyrocket in his county due to bad road conditions.
He put the cost of a 25kg bag of rice to between L$5000 to L$7000, and gasoline at L$1,600 in some areas in Grand Kru.
Senator Bartekwa made the plea in an interview with Legislative reporters at his Capitol Building office in Monrovia on Tuesday, January 21.
He pointed out that his county is completely cut-off from nearby counties, including Sinoe, River Gee and Maryland when plying the roads with vehicles due to the bad state of the roads.
He said service providers and companies are unwilling to construct GSM towers or commence banking operations in Grand Kru, citing its poor state of roads as a reason for staying away.
Senator Bartekwa indicated that the few companies operating in the county, Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), continue to lose millions of United States dollars on an annual basis because of the bad nature of roads in the region.
He maintained that qualified health care and education workers taking up assignments in south-eastern Liberia are constrained to return to Monrovia because of the situation adding that, "nothing can be done in our county in the absence of primary roads."
He said commercial motorcycles remain the only source of transportation in the region.
Senator Bartekwa observed that for too long Liberia's development has been delayed by past governments and as such, adequate steps must be taken by the Boakai-Koung led-administration to develop Liberia.
"Due to the bad roads, prices in my county have skyrocketed. Our people are suffering. It is very, very difficult to live in the far-off counties. I ask the government to alleviate or muster the courage to go out there and credit about US$2B and redeem those of us in far away or isolated counties; talking about Grand Kru, Sinoe, Gbarpolu, Lofa, Rivercess and others."
He maintained that citizens residing in these counties are feeling the pinch, especially during the rainy season, due to inaccessible road conditions and as such, the government should also honestly utilize the road fund to address the challenges.
Senator Bartekwa emphasized that Liberians residing in those areas find it very difficult to commute from one destination to another or transport their produce to the markets in real time as a result of the situation.
He, however, commended President Boakai for the strides being made towards luring support towards the economic and infrastructural developments of Liberia.
He said the efforts applied by the government towards the qualification of the Millennium Challenge Compact of the United States government is laudable.
Liberia is poised to receive US$500M if the indicators of the MCC Compact are passed by the government.
Senator Bartekwa observed that the sustained engagements by the government with its partners also led to the acquisition of US$200M from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
"Just a few days ago, the World Bank Vice President was here to also assure Liberia of that institution's support towards our energy development process. Those are laudable efforts on the part of the government and we want to congratulate them and ask them to renew those efforts."
"We as a government must provide a color print for success in every situation that our people go through. With this massive support that the international community and donor partners are beginning to provide, I want to challenge the government to foremost prioritize the roads development process."
According to him, the government should place road development at the top of its development agenda when holding discussions with donor partners.
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He stressed that Liberia's economy will improve rapidly if the government prioritizes the construction of roads across the country.
Senator Bartekwa said access to adequate healthcare, education and justice would be enhanced following the construction of roads.
He said the government should also speed up the modalities leading to the 265 controversial yellow machines deal to improve road connectivity for the benefit of its citizens.
He observed that the government's efforts would also attract foreign-direct investments in the leeward areas as foreign investors remain ready and prepared to carry out mining and other operations, but the bad road conditions have prevented them from doing so.
"Crediting money to build roads is a positive way to improve the economy and it serves as a means of generating more money to pay for the loan."
Senator Bartekwa maintained that the government should make sure that the 50KM road project that is supposed to be developed from Grand Kru to Sinoe is actualized, beginning with the payment of property owners on the right way.
