Monrovia – Yannis Tzartas, European Union’s head of Section Infrastructure and Education, has said that Liberia needs to act now to save the lives of its citizens in ensuring that roads are maintained and protected from overloading.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo,
He spoke Monday, February 4, at the Ministry of Transport (MOT) when the EU gave 887,450 Euros to be implemented by GIZ. Its implementation period is expected to last for two years, beginning 2018 to 2020, although and the Financing Agreement’s execution period is 84 months.
Axle Load Control Project aimed at supporting transport governance in Liberia, will improve the protection of roads from overloading and early destruction.
It is a part of the regional project in West Africa and has the intention to harmonize transport rules in regional countries.
The project has two components, including Technical Assistance to MOT and procurement of pilot equipment for the Axle Load Control Project.
According to Tzartas, the adoption of the project was done in 2015 so as to enforce the law and harmonize the country’s standard with West African standards.
He said about US$700,000 to US$800,000 per kilometer is spent in other countries as compare to Liberia that goes beyond US$1 million because of the rainy climate conditions and also because the environment is less attractive to road construction companies.
The EU, according to him, has been supportive of road projects in Africa but governments are not protecting roads with the result of early destruction of the expensive roads.
“Consequence is that EU stopped supporting new roads in Africa considering huge investments as a waste of money,” said Tzartas.
He noted that mid-life of a road is about 30 years and by good protection and maintenance can last longer.
“Unfortunately, uncontrolled overloading by trucks in Africa leads to early fatigue and destruction of the roads shortening considerably their life sometimes even to the half.”
According to Tzartas, early destroyed roads by overloading remain destroyed for long time because governments don’t have the means to reconstruct them and the donors are not willing to waste their money on unprotected roads that are early destroyed by overloading.
He added that destroyed roads make transport and life of people difficult especially in remote areas and ordinary people pay the price for neglection.
He further stated that apart from destroying the roads another very negative effect of overloading is many accidents on the roads.
“A heavily overloaded truck is difficult to control brakes failure, burst tires and is easy to get out of its driving lane.”
He said the project is good because already built roads will last longer and citizens will enjoy them.
The enforcement and preparation of the project can only be successful if vehicles operators comply which will be convincing the EU and other donors to invest again in building more roads knowing that these roads will be maintained and protected.
Martus W. Bangalu, Director and Deputy National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund (EDF), said the technical assistance for the implementation of the project is funded under the regional indicative program of the 11th EDF.
Under the project, two contracts will be signed – the service contract for the implementation of the project.
She named the supplied contract, which intends to procure vehicles, mobile brigades and other equipment that will improve the sustainability and security of the regional road transport system.
The contract will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Transport to facilitate it in the implementation of the Axle Load Law and its related components.
The contractor is expected to harmonize and synchronize implementation of regulations adopted by the countries of regional organizations and improve governance of road maintenance and efforts to prevent overloading.
According to the project document, those expected to benefit from the Axle Load are the Liberian people — trucks drivers, fleet management agencies, including motorized and non-motorized road users and transport operators.
Dave Dahn Daiwoo, Ministry of Transport’s Consultant, said there will be Axel Load weight stations at many highways that will have prices attached to.
He stated: “We hope that we can have mobile brigade system that will give different data that we will need in the future to get to where we want to get.”
Daiwoo explained that the projects have plans to visit five big companies that are destroying the road.
He named Liberia Cement Corporation (CEMENCO), Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation (LPRC), Firestone Liberia, National Port Authority (NPA) and rock crushing companies to begin to install weight stations in a house so as to protect the roads from overloading.
According to him, violators will be fined so as to maintain and protect the roads.