Monrovia – Public Works Minister Roland Giddings has raised concerns over the transparency and management of funds collected for road construction and maintenance under the National Road Fund (NRF).
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
The NRF was established by an Act of the National Legislature on December 12, 2016, and took effect on January 26, 2017. The law mandates a US$0.25 per-gallon tax on imported fuel to finance nationwide road maintenance, rehabilitation, and improvement.
Appearing before the Plenary of the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, February 10, Minister Giddings—who also serves as Board Chair of the NRF—questioned the manner in which funds are being collected and managed.
He emphasized the need for an independent national structure to oversee the Road Fund in order to attract private sector financing for Liberia’s road infrastructure.
According to him, the Ministry of Public Works serving as Chair of the NRF Board creates a potential conflict of interest.
“It is difficult for the Ministry to push for stronger accountability during board sittings when it also chairs the board,” he suggested.
Giddings disclosed that the government is drafting a new law that would ensure private sector representation on the NRF Board.
“In terms of revenue generation, the Road Fund should move in that direction. There is no road fund anywhere in the world without a mix of private and public sector representation,” he said. “Under the new law to be submitted to the Legislature, the Board will be chaired by a private sector representative. It’s not just about the structure; it’s also about transparency and accountability.”
Concerns Over Collection and Escrow System
The Minister further raised concerns about the collection and remittance system of the Road Fund.
“If we want to attract private financiers, they must see that the Road Fund is truly independent—especially in how revenues are collected. That’s where we have issues,” Giddings said, noting that he has repeatedly raised concerns about collection transparency.
He stressed the need for a system that clearly tracks how funds are deposited into and disbursed from an escrow account, arguing that transparency in the financing architecture would boost investor confidence and support domestic resource mobilization for infrastructure development.
“The Road Fund is beyond just structure; it is about how transparent and accountable the financing architecture appears,” he added.
Demolition Backed by President
Meanwhile, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Public Works and backed by security forces, continues the demolition of homes and businesses constructed on alleyways and rights-of-way in Monrovia and surrounding areas.
The exercise has left thousands displaced and resulted in the destruction of properties worth millions of dollars, particularly in the Saye Town and Wroto Town communities in Sinkor.
Minister Giddings stated that he has the full backing of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to proceed with the demolitions.
“People intentionally build on alleyways. As Minister, we will give time—but we will remove them,” Giddings said. “Before I accepted this job, I told the President: if you give me the authority to enforce the law, allow me to do it. And the President will not stop me.”
He maintained that affected residents were given adequate notice to vacate or carry out self-demolition before enforcement actions began.
According to Giddings, property owners identified as encroaching on alleyways are granted up to three months to relocate or remove the affected portions themselves.
“If only a portion of your house is on the alley, you can bring an engineer and remove that part. Maybe two rooms are affected, and you remain in one—it’s possible,” he explained.
He said the demolition exercise is aimed at reopening and paving alleyways and roads to improve urban access and development.
The Minister also disclosed that the government is developing a toll system to generate additional revenue for infrastructure projects nationwide.
Support Independent Journalism
Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold power accountable while keeping quality journalism accessible to our readers.
Support our journalism or subscribe to receive the latest FrontPage Africa stories and updates.
