Rep. Sumo Mulbah Calls for Major Revision of Liberia–Sierra Leone Highway Plan, UrgesGovernment to Prioritize Monrovia Roads

MONROVIA, Liberia:Montserrado County District #3 Representative Sumo Mulbah has called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the Ministry of Public Works to review the proposed four-lane highway from Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties to the Sierra Leone border, arguing that a two-lane highway would better meet the country's transportation needs while saving millions of dollars for other critical road projects.

In an open letter addressed to President Boakai, Representative Mulbah questioned the justification for constructing a four-lane highway along the western corridor, saying the route lacks the population density and traffic volume needed to support such a large investment. He maintained that even in the coming decades, traffic along the corridor is unlikely to require a four-lane road.

"The Bomi to Cape Mount corridor does not have the traffic volume or population density to justify a four-lane highway," Mulbah stated. "Liberia should adopt a practical approach that reflects our actual transportation needs."

The lawmaker proposed that the government instead construct a durable two-lane highway from Bomi through Grand Cape Mount to the Sierra Leone border, noting that the connecting road on the Sierra Leone side is also a standard two-lane highway. He recommended reserving the four-lane expansion only for the heavily congested Duala-to-Iron Gate section, where traffic congestion is most severe.

According to Representative Mulbah, scaling down the western highway project would free up significant financial resources that could be redirected toward major urban road developments in Monrovia, including the long-discussed Barnesville-to-Sinkor connection, widely known as Kesselly Boulevard.

"Completing strategic urban road links such as Kesselly Boulevard would help reduce congestion on Somalia Drive and improve transportation across Monrovia," he emphasized.

Mulbah said recent observations of extensive land clearing along the proposed route indicate that the government may already be preparing for a four-lane highway. While welcoming efforts to improve road connectivity to Liberia's western border, he questioned whether the current design represents the country's most effective use of public resources.

The Montserrado District #3 Representative also expressed concern over the long-term durability of newly constructed highways, warning that heavy-duty trucks transporting iron ore from mining concessions would place enormous pressure on the roads and significantly shorten their lifespan. "Heavy concession trucks, not ordinary passenger vehicles, pose the greatest threat to our highways," he said.

To address the challenge, Mulbah proposed that Liberia develop a state-owned railway system dedicated to transporting mineral exports while also providing affordable passenger and commercial transport. 

Under his proposal, mining companies would move iron ore by rail to port facilities, reducing damage to national highways and preserving road infrastructure. The recommendation follows his recent trip through Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties to the Sierra Leone border in connection with an alleged murder investigation.