Liberia: Senator Smith Wants RIA Road Project Reviewed

Rivercess County Senator Wellington Smith  has warned that any failure on the part of the government to review the pre-financing agreement regarding the construction of the RIA Highway would be detrimental to the state.

Smith's warning comes as the Ministry of Public Works in a report informed the Senate that the East International, the contractor hired for the project, lacks both the technical and financial capacities to implement it.

The project, which calls for construction of a four-lane highway, was expected to be completed and dedicated in 2024, at a cost of US$116 million. It was intended to improve the country’s airport road, while spurring economic growth. 

But now it seems that a new contractor will have to be found as the Ministry of Public Works, in a report, claimed that East International Group Inc., “has an inappreciable technical capability to implement a major road project like the RIA road project and is most suitable for other secondary or urban roads as ratified in the 2017 pre-financing agreement.”

This revelation, according to Smith, is a clear indication that company’s contract needs an urgent review, saying the US$116 million agreed upon in the pre-finance agreement for the 45-kilometer road shows that the amount of US$2.5 million is spent on each kilometer; “this is unrealistic, and there is a need for revisitation.”

“Such a contract is not practical, void of political sentiment, but a failure on the part of the government to review the agreement with the contractor. It will take many years for the road project to be finished instead of the projected 2024 due date. And this will be detrimental to the state.”

“There is a need for a thorough investigation with respect to the finances mentioned in the contract,” he said, promising that he won't hesitate to support a recommendation advised by the team of technicians such as the cancellation of the financing agreement with East during the reviewing process.

Meanwhile, Montserrado County Senator, Darious Dillon, on the other hand reminded his colleagues that if they had listened to him two years ago, the country would not be faced with such an embarrassing situation.

The two Senators’ statements were in separate post-session sitting press briefings on December 6, followed by a presentation by the Ministry of Public Works on the implementation status of the RIA road upgrading project.

The Ministry then recommended that the opening of an escrow account for all proceeds meant for the RIA road project in lieu of it being placed in an account directly controlled by the East International Group Inc.

It added that there is a need for the Ministry to be signatory to the proposed account and directly have control in the payment or disbursement of milestone payments due the sub-contractor and consultant.

Also, the status report noted that "there is a need for major stakeholders to institute a mid-term review of the entire project-contracts, and the likelihood  of completion within the 2024 schedule.”

East International, long before the ministry’s report, has had its ability to implement the mult-imillion dollar contract questioned due to lack of prior work experience.

The Ministry of Public Works’ Status report was submitted Monday to the Senate Committee on Public Works,  chaired by Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, following an exhaustive public hearing.

The project framework calls for the project to be executed into three lots which include: 1) from Roberts International Airport to Junk River Bridge; 2) from Junk River Bridge to ELWA junction; and; 3) the construction of the Junk River Bridge and the upgrading of the existing bridge.

The civil works with the actual construction of the road project is valued at US$80 million; design and supervision cost valued at US$7 million; and the management and resettlement action plan valued at US$7.5 million. The length of the road is 45 km or 27.8 miles.

The design of the road takes into consideration many factors, including population density, social activities, and the topography, which led the highway into different sections. The new road, when completed, will have a toll location, which is the Junk River Bridge. 

The RIA road is a project that is long overdue because of the safety hazards presented by its narrowness and darkness. The RIA Highway has been a death trap since it was built in the 1940s, during World War Two. In 70 years of its existence, the highway has claimed the lives of thousands of unfortunate passengers, both Liberians and foreigners alike.