Gbarnga, Bong County – Five months after stoppage of work, construction giant, East International, has returned to site to resume work on the pavement of major streets in Gbarnga.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
It can be recalled that the company suspended work in Gbarnga as a result of some issues with the leadership of the Bong County over funds.
Back then, the company relocated some equipment from its site yard and also downsized some of its workforce.
But officials of the company were on Wednesday, January 4 seen moving heavy equipment to sites with their men already mobilized to continue the work.
Also, officials of the company were seen using earth moving equipment to carry crash barriers to demarcate construction zones.
An engineer, who did not want to be named, said the demarcation was for effective traffic management.
Also, officials of the company were seen deploying their equipment at Phebe parking to grade the road.
According to a local radio station, one of officials said: “We are grading then we will remove the rubbish and give the road stone base and mill the road.
It was also observed that work was in progress around Ganta parking, close to the Gbarnga broad street.
A ministry of Public Works Official, who was monitoring resumption of work on the road, according to community-based Radio Gbarnga, expressed satisfaction with the prompt compliance of the company to return to site.
East International was hired early 2016 to pave the Gbarnga main street (1.8 Km) and the Madam Suakoko Street (0.613 Km).
The pavement, which is being done with cement, connects the One plus one and Star Gas Stations as well as the Gbarnga Administrative Building and the Gbarnga School of Theology.
The pavement has been at a standstill for more than four months, prompting concerns from citizens of Bong County. But the company Tuesday recommenced the pavement along with clearing-out of the Main Street and Suakoko Street.
In line with the contract signed between East International Group Incorporated and the leadership of Bong County, the pavement of the two streets is estimated at (US$ 1,353,751.05). Already, the county has made first installment of fifty per cent representing an amount of (US$676,875.53).
The parties mutually agreed that the duration of the road construction project shall be ten months commencing from January 21, 2016, up to and including October 21, 2016 but the project has suffered serious setback in the past due to financial constraint being faced by the leadership of Bong County.
The county legislative caucus in November announced that one million U.S dollars has been raised in the 2016/2017 National Budget to also finance the project.
East Intentional Group Incorporated is a Chinese Company with its national office in Monrovia.