MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Executive Director of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment, Julius K. Sele, has disclosed that bad roads are hampering the ability to complete legislative projects in some areas of the country.

During the rainy season in Liberia, roads in rural parts of the country are impossible to traverse due to their deplorable conditions. Vehicles driving these routes find it difficult in reaching their destination on time. Vehicles without four-wheel drive may spend several days or weeks stuck on the road.

Sele said contractors are having difficulty reaching Grand Bassa, Nimba and upper Lofa counties during this raining season.

While Sele said that about 85% of the 73 Legislative Support Projects are nearing completion, others are far from it due to poor road infrastructure.

The Legislative Support Projects was introduced by House Speaker Alex Tyler to help fast track various projects in the 15 counties that were slowed due to the bureaucracy associated with the County Development Funds in 2013.

Julius K. Sele, Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment Executive Director. Photo: Zeze Ballah

Sele said in April 2015, LACE started awarding contracts.

“The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Development provided US$5 million to implement projects in all of the 73 electoral districts across the country,” Sele said.

Due to poor road conditions in some of these counties, Sele said that contractors are now complaining that the amounts allocated for projects in difficult-to-reach districts are too small.

According to Sele, the time it takes to complete the projects varies depending on when LACE received communication from lawmakers to commence the work. He said, “Some lawmakers provided their projects on time while others submitted theirs a week ago.”

“Some of the projects calls for the construction of box culverts that connect villages and towns and because of the rain, the river level in those areas is very high which poses some challenge to the contractors in commencing their work,” Sele said.

A footpath bridge under construction in New Matadi, Montserrado County. Photo: Richard Manuba/LACE

Sele said that another challenge faced by the contractors is the inconsistencies on the part of some communities in selecting project sites. “These communities are resisting for construction work to go ahead on project sites previously agreed on with their lawmaker,” he said.

The duration of the projects was set at 120 days, which is expiring for some contractors. “Contractors did not contest the duration during the signing process,” Sele said.

“We hope that these projects will address most of the challenges these ordinary Liberians are faced with in rural Liberia,” Sele said.

Sele has also called on lawmakers to redirect their resources to creating easy access in towns and villages to the rest of the country.

“There are hundreds of towns and villages in rural Liberia that are very difficult to reach,” Sele said.

He said these towns and villages have potential that can only be tapped once they begin to interact with their district and county headquarters through good roads and bridges.

The Larkayta Police Station nearing completion in Margibi County. Photo: Richard Manuba/LACE

He commended the government for supporting these grassroots projects which according to him is improving the lives of the ordinary Liberians across the country.  “LACE strongly believes this initiative on the part of government is worthy,” he said.

LACE was established by the Government of Liberia via the Community Empowerment Act to ensure that all parts of the country are developed to improve the lives of citizens.

Feature photo: Zeze Ballah