Monrovia – One of the major criticisms of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf over the past eleven years has been the failure of the administration to transform the face of the entry point into the post-war nation.
But if the activities within the vicinity of the Roberts International Airport is anything to go by these days, all that may soon be about to change.
Since last November when Sirleaf broke ground for a new passenger terminal building and a rehabilitated runaway at the RIA, anticipation has been high that the ground which has been on the receiving of a lot of jokes from incoming passengers, could soon be getting the last laugh.
This was evident even for Sirleaf last November, when she marveled at the prospects. “I’m so glad that finally we can get our airport up to standard, finally that shame – we do feel shame when we land at the airport, we feel shame because we have strangers in the plane, and they all look and say ‘Oh! My goodness when will Liberia come of age’.”
The RIA is the country’s principal international airport and hosts international carriers on an 11, 000-foot (3, 353m) runway and other facilities.
Built during the height of the Second World War by the United States Government, the RIA served as a base for its military activities.
After the war and until 1985, the airport was administered by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and was a key link in the African network of Pan Am.
When Pan Am ceased operations, the government of Liberia assumed responsibilities for the operations of the airport.
The airport suffered severe damage during the civil war in 1990.
The runway was bombed and the main terminal building burned down.
Both the runway and the terminal building became inoperable and the airport was shut down.
Commercial operations at the airport started again in 1997 by converting a cargo building to a terminal.
Starring down a barrage of criticisms, the government of Liberia, has China to thank for the transformation now taking place.
The US$50 million terminal project is being financed by China’s Exim Bank through a concessional loan.
While the reported US$30 million runway is being funded through a loan from the Saudi Fund, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa(BADEA), the Liberian government with support from the United States Government.
Work on both projects are being implemented by the China Harbor and Sino Hydro.
The contractor selected through a competitive bidding process is Sinohydro Corporation Ltd. The contract was signed on September 5, 2016 and duration is estimated at 10 months from date of commencement in September.
The new terminal, according to airport officials will cover an area of more than 5000-Square meters and designed for an average annual passenger volume approximately 320,000 persons.
The project marks the first time that the Chinese government is offering a concessional loan to the Liberia, capping a China-Liberia bilateral project with and a combination of multi-stakeholders cooperation.
“I am confident that China Harbor will present Liberia a state of the art new terminal building”, Chinese Ambassador Ambassador Zhang Yue, said last November.
The runway rehabilitation project involves the excavation of significant sections of Runway 04-22, and asphalt pavement of these sections, rehabilitation of parts of the taxiways, airside geometric improvements including a new turn-pad at runway end 04, widening of taxiway fillets, grading of the runway strip, storm-water drainage improvements, runway and taxiway marking, rehabilitation of the Aeronautical Ground Lighting (AGL) system, amongst other things.
The last time an overlay of the runway was done was in 1978.
When completed, a fully rehabilitated runway and terminal at RIA, is expected to increase airline traffic and confidence and bolster Liberia’s compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
More importantly, the new terminal when completed will include a new Passenger Terminal building, arranged in one and a half floors.
The first floor will included a check-in hall, inspection area, waiting area, arrival hall, baggage claim, baggage handling rooms, equipment rooms and other offices.
The second floor will include a waiting and departure area, commercial area and other features.
After check-in, immigration, security screening on the first floor, passengers will arrive to their waiting area on the second floor by escalators, elevators and stairs.
The second floor is also for departure, divided into waiting area and commercial service areas.
The waiting hall is arranged in linear so that after security screening, passengers will approach to the waiting area through the commercial area, to increase the potential airport business revenue.
For each boarding gate, nursing room, smoking room, business center, shopping center, and other service or consumption functions should be considered.
The inside of the terminal, according to airport officials, is designed to make the vision clear with no obstruction, and a transparent space is provided.
The whole layout is compact, partition-free, to pursue the maximum efficiency and benefits.
Authorities at the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), responsible for the managerial and operational control of all airports within the Republic of Liberia, are hopeful that the project will be completed in good time although it is not certain that Sirleaf, who will be leaving office in a few months after serving two terms will see the completion before leaving office.
Over the past eleven years, the Sirleaf administration has experience a turbulent barrage of criticisms regarding the inability of the government to revitalize the airport which was damaged during the civil war.
In 2014, the French carrier, Air France, was forced to end its flying route to Liberia after poor and dilapidated runaway conditions at the RIA inflicted serious damage on the airline’s AF752 jet, forcing the plane into rugged landing leading to almost half a million dollars in damage.
The forced landing ruined the plane’s bottom right, main landing gear, hydraulic holes, brakes, and right main landing gear axle assembly.
Much of the transformation will address not only lingering criticisms about the airport terminal’s size and limitations but issues regarding the dilapidated runway and lighting problems which on occasions, causes flight delays and landing complications.
For Sirleaf, the project is set to climax a defining moment of her presidency which has endured its share of mounting criticisms over the past eleven years.
“I think this a great thing for our people. Finally [RIA will be renovated].”