Liberia: MPW Submits Controversial Jor River Design to House

The Ministry of Public Works has presented the design and cost for the construction of the most talked about Jor River Bridge in Bong County to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Nagbe, Koon, for onward submission to Nimba County Electoral District #7 Representative, Rep. Musa Hassan Bility.

On Tuesday, during its regular session, the Minister of Public Works, Min. Roland Giddings, appeared before plenary along with his technical team to clarify circumstances surrounding the Ministry's recent stop-order issued on the ongoing construction of the Jor River Bridge.

"We are not preventing anyone from building bridges and roads, but you must have 100% approval from the Ministry of Public Works before starting such a project".

The bridge project, when completed, will provide a critical alternative route for commuters traveling between Ganta, Monrovia, and Gbarnga corridors essential for trade, mobility, and regional connectivity.

Minister Giddings submitted the full bridge design along with a cost estimate of US$1.3 million. The document was officially turned over to the Speaker for transmission to Rep. Bility, who has championed efforts toward the actualization of the project.

Following deliberations, plenary voted to endorse the submission and authorized its immediate turnover to Representative Bility. The Speaker subsequently presented the design package to the lawmaker in fulfillment of plenary's mandate.

The matter stems from a communication submitted earlier by Bong County Electoral District #3 Representative, Rep. J. Marvin Cole, who raised concerns that the stop-order could undermine development progress and negatively impact citizens who rely on the route.

Rep. Cole noted that the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) has already secured over US$500,000 to jump-start the project, which aims to address a 40-year infrastructural challenge that has resulted in recurrent transportation setbacks and tragic loss of lives in the area.

The House's action clears the way for continued engagement and coordination among stakeholders as efforts toward the construction of the Jor River Bridge move forward.

Read the original article on New Dawn.