Africa-Press – Liberia. ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) has officially launched the Firestone Division Community Development Road Project in the Kpelleh Town Community, Kakata City, Margibi County.
The 28-kilometer stretch, which runs from Kakata’s Kpelleh Town to the Firestone Staff Club, has not seen any major rehabilitation for years. Its reconditioning marks a major milestone for residents who have long endured poor road conditions.
The initiative comes in response to a formal request from the community made through Margibi County Representative Hellen Wureh. In a show of strong stakeholder collaboration, AML and community representatives held a kickoff meeting on-site this Tuesday to align project objectives and finalize the implementation plan.
A Liberian-owned company, Frebenja Group of Companies, has been selected to execute the project. Mobilization is set to begin this weekend, with actual construction expected to commence by next Tuesday.
Speaking at the launch, Marcus Wleh, Head of Sustainability and External Relations at ArcelorMittal Liberia, underscored the company’s commitment to community development beyond its concession zones.
“We value our communities, and we go beyond the scope of where we work,” Wleh said. “We do not take it upon ourselves to say we are the Ministry of Public Works, but we do our best to maintain our community roads. When we got this request from the community within the Firestone concession area, it took some time—but I’m happy to announce that this over half a million dollar project ($527,000) will start today.”
Wleh also noted that AML consulted Firestone Liberia and received the green light from the historic 1926 rubber plantation before proceeding with the rehabilitation effort.
ArcelorMittal Liberia’s General Manager of Mines, Jallah Selmah, also addressed the gathering, describing the project as a meaningful investment in community relations.
“Any standard mining operation will never shy away from community engagement,” Selmah said. “We always feel good to engage the community—not just to say hello, but to show something tangible.”
He called on community members to fully cooperate, especially in managing traffic and ensuring safety during construction activities: “We need proper traffic management where these machines are working.”
AML’s Road Coordinator, Benjamine S. Momolu, provided technical details, noting that the 28km project will run from the Kakata Police Station to the Firestone Golf Club. The road will be upgraded with improved drainage systems, repaired depressions, and reinforced structures to make it accessible year-round—both in rainy and dry seasons.
Fred Kennedy, CEO of Frebenja Group of Companies and a native of Margibi, expressed his appreciation for AML’s confidence in his firm.
“We will help make sure we go by the technical specifications within the contract,” Kennedy pledged. “I, personally, will be on the road with the team to make sure we meet the standard of ArcelorMittal and of our own people. This road is part of our work—you are welcome to come around and see for yourself.”
Residents of Kakata turned out to show their appreciation for the long-awaited development. Many expressed joy and gratitude toward AML.
“We are very happy for ArcelorMittal because this road has been bad for many years with no one to come to our aid. So we want to thank the company,” one resident said.
For Hawa Peters, a student at the Booker Washington Institute, the news was a welcome relief.
“Hopefully the stress of moving up and down on such a bad road is finally coming to an end with the help of ArcelorMittal,” she said.
“We are very grateful for this. The company could have chosen to take this development to Grand Bassa or Nimba, where they are based, but they brought it here for us to help save us from this bad road.”
In Margibi, this 28km rehabilitation is being viewed as a landmark development, especially since AML’s concession does not directly cover the county, unlike Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Bong. The project reflects AML’s growing effort to invest in communities far beyond its operational footprint.
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