Liberia: Govt Sets August 26 Deadline for Yellow Machine Deployment

MONROVIA, August 21, 2026 -- The Liberian government has set August 26 as the deadline to complete the nationwide deployment of its yellow machines across all 15 counties, with the road equipment program projected to create up to 1,200 jobs.

Speaking Thursday at the Ministry of Information's regular press briefing, head of the Special Presidential Coordinating Committee (SPCC), Brownie J. Samukai, said the machines arrived in two major batches, with 137 arriving in February and another 168 between May 4 and June 4.

Samukai said the government is establishing 19 equipment hubs across the country where the machines will be stationed, repaired, refueled and prepared for road maintenance work.

Deployment began on July 23, with Grand Kru, River Gee, Maryland and Grand Bassa among the first counties to receive equipment.

However, Samukai said deployment remains incomplete. Grand Kru has received 12 of its allocated 15 machines, River Gee has received 10, Maryland nine, while Grand Bassa has received 11 of its allocated 30 machines.

He said deployment of the remaining equipment will resume after the August 24 holiday, with August 26 set as the deadline for completion.

Meanwhile, recruitment of machine operators and support personnel is about 83 percent complete, with Bong, Nimba and Lofa counties remaining in the recruitment process.

The program requires operators for dump trucks, excavators, motor graders and front-end loaders, as well as mechanics, electricians, tire technicians and data collectors.

Samukai estimated that the program could create between 555 and 1,200 jobs when fully operational.

He stressed that recruitment will be based on technical competence rather than political recommendations, with preference given to qualified residents of the counties where the equipment will operate.

"We are not importing unless where absolutely necessary," Samukai said, emphasizing the government's intention to ensure local residents benefit from the employment opportunities.

He also disclosed plans to introduce geospatial tracking technology to monitor the equipment and prevent unauthorized movement outside assigned areas.

According to Samukai, most of the 19 equipment hubs are between 40 and 85 percent complete, with engineers working to finish the remaining facilities.

Read the original article on New Dawn.