Jor River Bridge Plan Ignites Clash: Gov’t Estimates US$1.3M, CMC Walks Away

Monrovia, Liberia: A major dispute has erupted over the construction of the Jor River Bridge in Bong County after the Ministry of Public Works presented a US$1.3 million engineering design, a figure that immediately forced the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) to abandon its own bridge initiative and accuse the government of inflating costs.

The presentation was made during a tense legislative session where Public Works Minister Roland Lafayette Giddings outlined the ministry’s plan. According to him, the government’s design is based on full technical studies—soil tests, river flow assessments, engineering drawings, material calculations, and environmental requirements.

Giddings argued that the government’s cost reflects the demands of a modern, long-lasting bridge.

“We cannot approve any bridge unless it meets national engineering standards,” he told lawmakers. He emphasized that the ministry had already conducted studies months before CMC introduced its cheaper US$450,000 alternative.

CMC Political Leader Musa Hassan Bility reacted sharply. He told reporters that the government’s price tag is exaggerated and does not reflect conditions on the ground.

“CMC will step back and let the government take full responsibility,” he said, adding that all equipment and materials previously mobilized for the project will be removed.

Bility insisted the CMC design was based on bridges the party has already completed in Nimba, Margibi, and Grand Bassa and argued that the ministry’s assessment was “nowhere close” to their own findings.

He also accused House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon of blocking lawmakers from questioning the ministry’s figures, saying the process lacked transparency.

The Jor River crossing is considered one of the county’s most dangerous points. Every rainy season, commuters traveling between Totota, Gbarnga, Ganta, and nearby towns face accidents, destruction of crops, and long delays.

Bong County Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris backed the ministry’s insistence on a properly engineered bridge, saying community-built structures with substandard designs could pose risks.

But District #3 Representative Marvin Cole, who supported the CMC initiative, fears the government’s move could delay relief for thousands of residents.

Public Works: “No Politics Just Safety”

Minister Giddings held firm, saying the ministry is not trying to undermine any political group. Instead, he said the law requires all road and bridge projects whether funded by government, communities, or political organizations to be vetted and supervised by Public Works.

“We cannot permit construction that does not meet structural and environmental standards,” he said.

The government’s US$1.3 million proposal will now move toward contractor selection through the procurement process.

Bility Fires Back: Claims Gov’t Wants To Insert Inflated Cost in Budget

After the session, Bility escalated his allegations, accusing the minister and House leadership of pushing out CMC so the government could later insert an inflated figure in the national budget.

He said the project does not appear in the current or upcoming budgets, despite the minister’s claims.

“This is designed to give the government room to add US$1.3 million later with no accountability,” Bility argued.

CMC says it will redirect its resources to other communities instead of continuing at Jor River.

The dispute has also reopened old hostilities between Bility and Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye. Although Moye recently asked the ministry to work with CMC, he had previously accused Bility of misappropriating funds from the China Union mining agreement a charge he has never proven.

Bility dismissed the allegations again, saying his finances are legitimate and open to scrutiny.