Africa-Press – Liberia. A US$ 500k bridge construction contract awarded to the wife of former Senator Henry Yallah in Bong County has left many scratching their heads. This is because several years after the contract was awarded, the bridge project was left as a white elephant.
Lawrence Anniway, the Chief Executive Officer of the Dekaiyeiyah Foundation and a native of Zota District, is calling for immediate government action to resume construction
The bridge is intended to connect the towns of Foequlleh and Mbellequah in Bong County’s Zota District.
The bridge project, with an estimated value of approximately USD 500,000, was initially awarded several years ago to a construction company reportedly owned by Madam Sonnie Yallah, wife of former Bong County Senator Henry W. Yallah.
Despite the significant investment earmarked for the project, the construction has remained incomplete, raising concerns among residents and local leaders.
Anniway, in an interview with a team of Journalists in Gbarnga over the weekend, expressed deep frustration over what he termed as “unacceptable neglect” of vital infrastructure in rural parts of Bong County.
He described the unfinished bridge as a glaring example of poor oversight and lack of accountability in project implementation.
“This bridge is not just a structure — it’s a lifeline,” Anniway said. “Hundreds of residents in Zota District#4 rely on this connection for trade, education, healthcare, and social activities. The delay in completing the bridge is affecting lives and livelihoods.”
Citizens of the district have echoed Anniway’s concerns, citing the dangers of crossing the creek during the rainy season and the increased difficulty in transporting goods and accessing services.
Some residents reported that the foundation for the bridge was laid, but work stalled shortly after initial construction activities began.
The contract’s awarded to Madam Sonnie Yallah’s firm has also raised questions about transparency and potential conflict of interest, given her husband’s former role as a public official.
While there has been no formal allegation of wrongdoing, civil society actors in Bong County are demanding a full audit of the project to determine how the funds were utilized and why the project remains unfinished.
Efforts to reach Madam Yallah or representatives of her company for comment were unsuccessful.
Anniway urged the Bong County Legislative Caucus and the Ministry of Public Works to revisit the project, investigate the causes of the delay, and take immediate steps to ensure its completion.
“Rural communities deserve better. We will not stop raising our voices until this bridge is completed and the people of Zota District#4 receive the development they were promised,” he emphasized.
As infrastructure development remains a central pillar of Liberia’s decentralization and rural upliftment agenda, the Foequlleh–Mbellequah bridge case highlights the urgent need for improved project monitoring, transparency in contracting processes, and accountability from both public and private sector stakeholders.
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