Liberia: President Boakai to Dedicate Gbarnga-Salayea Highway and Launch Two New Road Projects in Lofa

Liberia, still marked by the scars of civil wars (1989-2003) that destroyed much of its infrastructure, has struggled for two decades to connect its rural counties. Lofa County, bordering Guinea and Sierra Leone, remains one of the most isolated parts of the country, especially during the rainy season. It is in this context that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. is expected to officially dedicate the 81-kilometer Gbarnga-Salayea Road, according to the Liberian Observer. The head of state will be accompanied by senior government officials and international development partners, the source states, without detailing their identity. Boakai is also expected to break ground on two additional road projects aimed at completing a modern transport network across Lofa County. This infrastructure should ease the transport of local agricultural produce to urban markets and improve access to health and education services for rural populations. The announcement fits into the infrastructure strategy of the Boakai government, in office since January 2024. However, the source does not specify the total cost, the identity of the donors, or the timeline for the two new projects - open questions regarding the financial sustainability of a program in a country whose budget remains dependent on foreign aid and commodity prices.