Monrovia – FrontPage Africa has a communication from President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf dated October 4, 2016 in which she complained to the pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate Armah Jallah what she described as the unbecoming behavior of Senator Oscar Cooper Margibi County.

Report by Henry Karmo –  henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

“I fail to understand the motive of the senator who has not only accused Minister Moore of incompetence and unlawful behavior but also charged him with action that has caused the country to lose multiple millions of US dollars.” – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

The President stated in her communication that it was incumbent that she called Pro-Tempore’s attention on the “unbecoming” behavior of Senator Oscar Cooper, who she said had over the past two weeks (counting back from October 4) “intentionally and maliciously defamed the Minister of Public works, Gyude Moore.”

The President in the communication said she could not “understand the motive of the senator who has not only accused Minister Moore of incompetence and unlawful behavior but also charged him with action that has caused the country to lose multiple millions of US dollars”.

The communication said: “Perhaps in this regard, the senator does not understand our country or lack knowledge in the years before Minister Moore assumed the current position when road contracts to which he referred were concluded.

“In this respect he needs only to refer to reports submitted by the General Auditing Commission. Honorable Pro-Tempore, I ask that you intervene in this matter by advising the senator  that his false accusation and unfortunate ranting not  only unjustifiably hurt minister Moore, who continues to enjoy  my confidence and that of our partners, but the County which he claims to love.”

In September senator Cooper as chairman on the Senate Committee on Public Works invited on two occasions the Minister Moore to appear before the Committee on Public works to answer to questions about contracts that the Minister allegedly gave out to contractors, without observing the regulations of the Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) but refused to appear.

As a result of the Minister refusal Senator Cooper complained the Minister to the plenary of the Senate through a communication but he was asked by  Pro-Tempore Jallah to allow the matter be settled in House, a recommendation that was rejected by Senator Cooper. As a result of his resistance Senator Cooper was removed as chairman on the Public works committee.

Senator Cooper was recently invited on a Fabric FM radio talk show over the controversy.

Monrovia – The Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) Infrastructure Preparation Development Unit has embarked on the second validation consultation of the Draft Final Report for the study on Dakar-Lagos corridor aimed at focusing resources on the rehabilitation of the road, which supports regional and inter-regional traffic flow and promotes trade within the sub-region.

The study, geared at determining appropriate engineering solution for the upgrading of the entire corridor, involves experts from ECOWAS member states and other stakeholders in Monrovia.

During the Tuesday’s discussion, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Dr. Antoinette G. Weeks registered that the transport sector constitutes one of the key factors for advancing regional integration and development and is also an essential element for promoting economic growth as well as social development within the ECOWAS region.

While the region still faces many formidable challenges within the transport sector, often a result of inadequate transport infrastructure, deficient institutional arrangements, limited financial and manpower resources, Dr. Weeks cited the commission believes that advancing adequate technologies for developing state-of-the-art road infrastructure is necessary along the Dakar-Lagos corridor.

This, she noted, is a vital tool for fostering economic growth, ensuring the efficient delivery of vital transport services, improving the free movement of goods, people and services, promoting top-notch highway infrastructures as well as increasing peace, security and stability within the region.

Madam Weeks believes the Dakar-Lagos Corridor is part of the Trans-African Highway (TAH7 Network) within the ECOWAS region aimed at promoting infrastructure development across the African continent.

The Dakar-Lagos Corridor covers a distance of approximately 4,500 kilometers and will connect the coastal capitals of eleven ECOWAS member-states.

“It is believed that the development of the Dakar-Lagos Corridor will widely contribute towards the socio-economic development of West Africa as it will connect the most densely populated and economically viable parts of the sub-region.”

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure also stated the importance of the corridor serving as a connection to other corridors in landlocked countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, naming it as one of the seven flagship development projects being selected by the ECOWAS Commission expected to be fast-tracked and implemented.

Furthermore, the ECOWAS Commissioner has at the same time indicated that in February 2015, it had engaged a consultant, GAIC/Afric Consult, to conduct a study on the corridor’s missing links, a process which has already been implemented by its Project Preparation and Development Unit, a specialized agency within the commission’s infrastructure department charge with preparing bankable regional development infrastructure projects.

In February 2013, the governments of Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire agreed to collaborate for the construction of a six-lane highway on the Abijan-Lagos Section of the Dakar-Lagos Corridor, designated as phase one.

 The Abuja-Lagos Highway project was consequently conceived and a treaty, by the five heads of states, facilitating its preparation, funding, design, implementation and effective operation, was signed in March 2014.

Dr. Weeks mentioned that the consultant has prepared the Draft Final Report for` review and validation based on the comments from the first validation seminar organized in Dakar, Senegal, thus cautioning stakeholders involved in the process to be particularly mindful of the need to adopt solutions that allow maximum private sector involvement and participation in the investment phase of said development.

She added that the development of the Dakar-Lagos Corridor accompanied by the necessary regulatory framework would significantly facilitate free and open access within the ECOWAS Region, most certainly by positively impacting on the daily lives of local population with the ECOWAS community.

The former Minister of Public Works in Liberia lauded the Liberian Government and other supporting partners for their generosities and tireless efforts in ensuring the successful completion of the study.

Minister of Public Works Minister, Gyude Moore, has attributed Liberia’s setback in development to the deadly Ebola virus, which created the impossibility for major areas earmarked to be addressed as well as speeding up the draft final report.

According to Minister Moore, Infrastructure development in Liberia is crucial and Liberia as a member of the IMF Community has been limited to borrowing which has created difficulty for the construction of major highways within its region.

“The IMF Program limits our ability to borrow, in Liberia for example, in order for us to connect our entire main highway needs about US$2.2 Billion”, Minister Moore said.

He noted that Liberia has been limited to US$120 million, a total amount accounted for Liberia to borrow making it difficult to fast-track infrastructure development.

He named Liberia’s partnership with its West African counterparts as the best way to address its growing need for development and the best way to help undeveloped countries like Liberia Guinea and Sierra Leone build infrastructure through the combination of resources in moving forward.