Coca-Cola Factory-ELWA Road Costs Over US$47

-Minister Nyenpan Discloses

By Esau J. Farr

Public Works Minister, Mobutu V. Nyenpan says the Coca-Cola Factory to ELWA Junction Road project costs more than US$47m.

According to Minister Nyenpan, the Government of Liberia has already pumped in US$47m with more expected to be paid to the construction firm undertaking the project.

“The government of Liberia has already put in US$47m and more to come from our partners,” Minister Nyenpan said to reporters in Paynesville during a tour of the road construction project connecting the ELWA Junction to the Coca-Cola Factory area.

He furthered that money is also coming from the Liberia Reconstruction Trust Fund and other development partners, but government’s direct contribution to the project now stands at US$47m with Coca-Cola Factory to Red Light General Market being the first phase while Red Light to ELWA Junction will be the second phase.

The Public Works Minister did not however give the total cost of the project, but his statement insinuates that this 6.1Km road project may cost more than US$50m far more than what the administration of former President Sirleaf spent on such stretch of road.

During the administration of Madam Sirleaf, it was reported by former Ministers of Public Works that the government of Liberia at the time using US$1million per kilometer stretch of road.

Even though the project is a four-lane road project, but its length is far shorter than road projects on which such amount was spent by the immediate past government.

The project is expected to be completed by the earliest part of 2021 according to the Public Works Minister.

“This road project is expected to be completed by 2021, the earliest,” Minister Nyepan told journalists when he was quizzed on how soon will the project be completed?

The project was long negotiated by the Sirleaf’s administration to bring relief to drivers and commuters in the wake of extreme unbearable traffic congestion experienced by people moving to and between the routes being paved. TNR