Southeast Liberia’s Roads: From decades of neglect to new hope

By Rocheford T. Gardiner

Cape Palmas, Liberia – “Hmm, and what’s that smell?” I asked the highway mechanic I had doubled back to hire from Kahnwaykehn, River Gee County, on July 8, 2023. His nickname was “Food Money.”

I had lost the timing belt on my 2002 Toyota Sequoia near a place called “Combat Gate” in River Gee, southeastern Liberia. This happened after high-revving the engine to navigate numerous muddy craters, steep hills, slippery and banks. Unfortunately for me, “Food Money” had absolutely no idea what had caused my engine to stall. He proceeded to fumble, clip wires, and jump circuits until the vehicle’s ECM—commonly known in Liberia as the “control box”—short-circuited and burned. As an electronics engineer, though not specialized in auto-electronics, I saw it coming but was too desperate to stop him. I had my four kids with me, plus another four belonging to two friends, all on our way to Monrovia. We had already spent a night under extreme conditions in a four-hut village. I desperately needed to get those children out.

Such was my ordeal on the southeastern Liberia main corridor. Depending on who you talk to, the story might have been worse, even fatal, in some instances.

Years of Abandonment

Successive Liberian governments since the resignation of President Charles Taylor in August 2003 have failed to undertake comprehensive repairs of the southeastern corridor. This vital route extends from Ganta, Nimba County, and traverses Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland, and Grand Kru Counties, in addition to serving most of the giant-sized Nimba. This means that at least 1.5 million people depend on this route for all their basic needs.

Spanning a period of eighteen years after the second Liberian civil war, two previous administrations under Presidents Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and George Weah respectively, failed to tackle the issue. By 2023, the thick rainforest had reclaimed most of the dirt road, casting its dark canopy over much of the highway, blocking off any hope of sun or daylight penetration. It was perpetually dark, cold, and wet throughout the year.

The 12-Year Rule of Madam Ellen Johnson’s Unity Party

Fortunately for Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the United Nations Military Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was deployed throughout the country. This meant that peacekeepers had to move around, which directly translated into their involvement in temporary road rehabilitations. The Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and other contingents, with their mechanized battalions, consistently undertook these rehabilitations. However, these were merely “quick-fixes.” By then, the topsoil was heavily eroded, and most of the dirt highway lay well below seasonal water table levels.

As a consequence, terrifying “trouble-spots” existed at Grey in Nimba, Tapeta in Grand Gedeh, Toe Town and Putukehn in River Gee, and Kahlokehn in Maryland. These perilous conditions persisted throughout the entire 12-year duration of the Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf regime and progressively deteriorated as UNMIL scaled down and eventually closed its mission around mid-2017, following two successful elections.

The Quagmire of the Weah Administration

Then came January 2018, as President George Weah assumed the presidency. By this time, UNMIL personnel were gone, Western NGOs had wound up their aid services, and displaced and returning Liberian refugees had resettled. There was no longer a focus by international organizations, as they had concluded their various missions, assuming Liberia was now “on her own two feet.”

That marked the beginning of sorrows. Trucks laden with essential goods and services, bound for the southeast, were stranded for weeks on end, rendering perishable goods like fish and meat useless. At trouble-spots such as those mentioned earlier, the stench of rotting flesh, ominously blended with the feces and urine of stranded passengers and drivers, permeated the humid air. People had to create makeshift camps with thatch and any spare tarpaulin from their vehicles, finding desperate ways to cook, eat, and use the loo.

Others who could afford the luxury and expense, like top government officials (including former House Speaker Dr. Bhofal Chambers), took the two-day journey through neighboring Ivory Coast. It is worth noting that the former Speaker hails from a southeastern county, Maryland, to be precise.

Even more heartbreaking was the fact that the vast majority of top officials in the CDC-led government were from the southeastern region; this included the President himself, the Speaker, the Minister of Finance, the Senate Pro Tempore, and so many other junior and senior ministers. And as though that was not enough, Eugene Nagbe, a prominent son of the Southeast, once stated on state radio ELBC during the 2023 general elections campaign that rehabilitating the dirt road was impossible and that the only solution was to complete the asphalt paving of the remaining 500-odd kilometers between Ganta in Nimba and Kahnwaykehn in River Gee.

The fact is that everyone in the affected region would love to have asphalt pavement. However, the government of that day had exhibited no interest whatsoever in doing much. The apparent focus, however, was a political stunt in Nimba County when they came up with an arrangement with international donors to split the cost of paving the Ganta–Tapeta corridor. From that arrangement, the Government of Liberia (GoL) should have footed 35% of the cost, while international donors would have shouldered the remaining 65%.

The objective was to ensure ease of access to the modern regional referral Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Tapeta. To date, the GoL of that administration never completed its 35% share, meaning the Joseph Boakai administration must now source the necessary funding.

Relief at Last

Eager to expose the gross shortcomings of the Weah administration, President Joseph Boakai has made remarkable strides toward improving roads and accessibility to the leeward counties, with specific focus on the southeastern region. As of today, complete asphalt pavement now links two cities in Nimba—Saclepea and Tapeta—along the route to Zwedru, Grand Gedeh.

On top of all that, the dirt section between Kahnwaykehn in River Gee and Tapeta in Nimba has now been rehabilitated to such an extent that road users are averaging 14 hours for the journey from Harper, Maryland County, to Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. Just two years ago, this route was totally impassable to even small cars at this time of the year.

Availability of Goods and Services

As a direct consequence, Maryland, the last southeastern county, can now breathe a sigh of relief during the rainy season. All essential goods are readily available at comparatively lower prices than ever before. Gasoline, once fetching up to LRD 2,500, is now below LRD 1,000, and a bag of wholesale rice, previously as high as LRD 5,000, now costs as little as LRD 3,500.

Recent moves by the Government through the Ministry of Public Works to restrict the tonnage of vehicles to 25 tons by July 31 is a welcomed move.

As southeasterners see a dream-come-true in their lifetime, the Government should not rest on its oars. There might be some issues during the peak of the rainy season, but they should be in no way comparable to the conditions just two years ago. Routine maintenance is the way to go.