The Association of Liberian Construction Contractors (ALCC) has called for stronger government support, greater local participation in public contracts, and increased collaboration to revive Liberia's construction industry, as stakeholders gathered for its 2026 General Assembly at the Paynesville City Hall.
Held under the theme, "Reviving the Construction Sector to Promote Standards and Attract Opportunities," the assembly brought together construction contractors from across Liberia alongside officials from the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), the Ministry of Public Works, the Engineering Society of Liberia (ESOL), the Liberia Business Association and others.
ALCC believes a stronger government can help to address the growing challenges confronting local contractors-limited access to public contracts, high vendor fees, inadequate financing, and delayed payments for completed government projects.
The Association also raised concerns over a proposed Ministry of Public Works requirement that contractors own heavy equipment before qualifying to bid for public projects, warning that the measure could sideline many local businesses. Local contractors urged stronger enforcement of local content laws, reduced procurement barriers, and increased investment in local contractors through equipment financing, training, and expanded opportunities in public infrastructure projects.
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Delivering the keynote address, PPCC Executive Director Bodger Scott Johnson described the construction sector as a strategic pillar of economic transformation and emphasized that quality infrastructure remains essential for sustainable national development.
"A vibrant construction sector is indispensable to Liberia's economic transformation. It creates employment, supports local businesses, develops critical infrastructure, and drives sustainable national growth," Johnson declared.
He noted that every road, school, hospital, bridge and public facility represents an investment in Liberia's future, reaffirming PPCC's commitment to building a procurement system that is transparent, competitive, efficient and accountable.
A major highlight of the keynote address was the Commission's continued implementation of Liberia's Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System, which Johnson said is transforming how public procurement is conducted.
According to him, the online platform enables contractors to access bidding opportunities, obtain bidding documents, submit bids electronically and monitor procurement processes from advertisement through contract award.
"The system significantly reduces administrative delays, minimizes unnecessary costs, and improves access to government business."
Johnson further disclosed that the e-GP platform has been integrated with institutions including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), NASSCORP and other verification agencies to authenticate compliance documents and reduce fraudulent procurement practices.
Addressing concerns raised by contractors, the PPCC Executive Director acknowledged that the Commission recently engaged the ALCC leadership on issues affecting local businesses, including certification fees, procurement thresholds and barriers limiting Liberian contractors' participation.
"These concerns have been carefully noted," he assured.
He said the Commission remains committed to expanding local participation in public procurement by strengthening domestic preference mechanisms and encouraging greater subcontracting opportunities for Liberian-owned businesses. .
Johnson also challenged contractors to uphold professionalism, transparency, ethical conduct and quality workmanship.
ALCC President Mrs. Kimberly Toure, in her report, reflected on the Association's progress while outlining an ambitious reform agenda aimed at strengthening Liberia's construction industry.
Toure announced that all five constitutional standing committees of the Association have been reactivated after years of inactivity, providing stronger institutional governance.
She highlighted improvements in information technology at the Association's headquarters, including migration to a more reliable internet service and the introduction of a QR Code verification system that will allow clients and stakeholders to instantly verify contractors' certificates through the ALCC membership database.
"This innovation will strengthen transparency, improve verification processes, and protect the credibility of the Association and its members."
Toure said the Association is reorganizing its Female Construction Contractors platform under the leadership of Mrs. Martu Kromah to increase women's participation in the sector.
She also praised county coordinators for sustaining the Association's presence despite limited resources and announced plans to establish sub offices in selected counties to decentralize services such as membership registration, certificate renewals and contractor training.
Training programs on Standard Bid Documents and Quality Control and Assurance are expected to be expanded to Buchanan and Ganta, targeting dozens of contractors.
Among the Association's major accomplishments was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Public Works.
The agreement seeks to promote enforcement of the Small Business Act, which reserves 25 percent of public contracts for Liberian-owned businesses and five percent for Liberian women-owned businesses, while introducing joint inspections by the Ministry and ALCC to ensure only properly registered contractors execute public works.
She disclosed that the Association has held discussions with the PPCC regarding newly introduced vendor fees, urging the Commission to either eliminate or substantially reduce the charges because many contractors struggle to secure projects.
The ALCC engaged Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, seeking support for an equipment pool, financial empowerment for local contractors, and budgetary support for the Gbarnga Vocational Training Center, which faces funding challenges.
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The Association announced plans to establish a professional Secretariat headed by an Executive Director to oversee day-to-day operations, while elected officers and the Board of Directors focus on policy and governance.
Under the proposal, elected leaders would serve voluntarily without salaries or regular compensation.
Meanwhile, ALCC also revealed plans to purchase a permanent headquarters in Monrovia while preserving its Bentol property for future equipment storage and technical training.
The leadership is additionally developing an ALCC Trust Fund intended to finance equipment acquisition and provide bridge financing for contractors.
Despite the reported progress, the Association acknowledged several persistent challenges facing the industry, including limited contract opportunities for Liberian contractors, PPCC vendor fees, proposed equipment ownership requirements for bidding on public contracts, and funding constraints affecting technical training institutions.
To address these concerns, ALCC pledged to continue engaging government institutions, advocate for contractor inclusion in the 2027 National Budget, negotiate equipment rental arrangements for members, and expand training opportunities nationwide.
The General Assembly ended with renewed calls for unity among contractors, stronger support for local businesses, and sustained reforms aimed at making Liberia's construction sector more competitive, transparent and capable of driving national development.
