By Solomon T. Gaye
-Nimba
Residents benefiting from the China Railway Seventh Group ( CRSG) road rehabilitation project are beginning to draw concerns towards the halting of the work in Nimba County.
Jersey Flomo, a resident explained that the CRSG road work has come to an immediate standstill along the Karnplay-Sanniquellie highway since the beginning of this year.
According to Flomo, many contractors that were responsible to build and rehabilitate the bridges along the Karnplay-Sanniquellie route are no more going to work.
While in Zorgowee Town, Edith Teahton, narrated how her husband is among the workers constructing the bridge in the town but many of the workers that were residing in the town have returned to their families or wherever they were recruited from on grounds that they are waiting for the company to resume.
Traveling from Sanniquellie to Karnplay, the CRSG engineers and contractors assigned along the road connecting with Yekepa have deserted the project leaving the site vulnerable.
Since the beginning of 2024-2025, tension has never ceased in that part of the county between workers and management over alleged bad labour practices, low salary and or delayed salary payment, among other things.
The CRSG is among Chinese road building companies contracted by the European Union through the government to pave road connecting towns in Nimba as well as to other counties.
When this paper contacted the MIA County Administrator, Daniel Zekpeh via mobile phone, he confirmed that the road project has come to a standstill and referred the paper to Superintendent Kou Gono.
When Superintendent Gono was contacted via mobile phone, her phone rang without answer up to press time and she has not returned the call.
When this paper contacted the CRSG central office in Karnplay, a Chinese national referred the paper to the Ministry of Public Works’ Resident Engineer in the county.
When this paper contacted the MPW resident engineer Anthony G. Siaway, he assured that the project is expected to kick-off soon in the county.
“The Government of Liberia owes the contractors up to US$ 6 million while the road is 85 percent completed already. The European Union is expected to release funds soon for the completion of the road,” Engineer Siaway noted.
