30 Announced, 26 Counted? Lofa Residents Question Yellow Machines Delivery

Voijama, Lofa County: Ten days after Lofa County welcomed what officials announced as 30 earthmoving machines, residents are asking a question: where are the other four?

A count reported by journalists on October 30 recorded 15 machines in Foya District and 11 in Voinjama District. That puts the number observed at 26, four short of the figure given by the County Superintendent during the October 23 welcoming ceremony.

Citizens are now seeking an explanation from the Lofa County Administration and the national office overseeing the government’s yellow machines programme.

At the ceremony in Voinjama, the announcement of 30 machines was greeted with excitement. For residents concerned about the condition of the Voinjama–Foya and Voinjama–Kolahun roads, the equipment offered hope of repairs.

Attention has since turned from the welcoming ceremony to the whereabouts of the full allocation.

According to information gathered by journalists, Foya received the 15 machines expected there. The count in Voinjama, however, stood at 11 as of October 30.

The difference has prompted demands for authorities to state how many machines were delivered to Lofa and where they have been stationed.

“We paid taxes. Our Superintendent told us 30 machines came. Foya has 15, Upper Lofa has 11. Where are the remaining four?” reads a complaint cited in the field report.

“We deserve to know. This is not politics; this is development.”

The available report contains no official explanation for the difference. It also does not establish that the four machines are lost or stolen, since the observations cover equipment counted at the two reported locations.

An account from county authorities and the project’s national coordinator would establish whether all 30 machines reached Lofa and explain the difference between the announced delivery and the journalists’ count.

Until then, residents awaiting work on the county’s damaged roads are left with an announcement of 30 machines and a reported count of 26.

Meanwhile, the Special Presidential Project Coordinating Committee (SPPCC) has dismissed concerns about the alleged disappearance of yellow machines in Lofa County, assuring the public that all equipment remains accounted for.

In a press release issued Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Committee clarified that four machines from Lofa County, along with equipment from other counties, are currently being used to support operations in other parts of the country.

The SPPCC said the arrangement is intended to ensure timely deployment and operational efficiency under the national infrastructure development plan.

The Committee further assured citizens that all machines procured under the program are under its supervision and are being responsibly managed.

The SPPCC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, urging the public not to be misled by concerns surrounding the equipment.