A businesswoman, who lives on the outskirts of Yekepa Town, is hailing the road rehabilitation work carried out by ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) in her community.
Linda Zomoway, a major retailer in Karnla who sells several dry goods, does business along Yarmein Road, which is being rehabilitated by AML.
She said the road rehabilitation has not only eased transportation but has also led to a reduction in transportation fees across Yarmein. “I tell ArcelorMittal thank you. Our road, this Yarmein road was too bad but now it’s good,” she said.
She praised the road rehabilitation work, especially the route from Yekepa to Luebgeah and Bonah, as it has immensely changed the way people move from one place to another, especially those doing business.
“It is helping us a lot. We used to pay plenty of money to bring goods here in Karnla,” she said, adding, “We used to pay LD 200 to go to Yekepa but it has reduced.”
Linda believes the road work undertaken by AML is a great relief for small businesses, as businesspeople in the town previously had to make personal contributions to men in the town to recondition the roads.
The mother of six told our reporter that farmers in that part of Nimba grow a lot of food, but bad road conditions pose a challenge to transporting such food items to places like Sanniquellie and Ganta.
“We are praying every day that the road will go far beyond us to other places. Our people can grow plenty of food but the bad road is giving us a hard time,” she said.
Over the years, ArcelorMittal Liberia has undertaken important road rehabilitation works in Nimba and Grand Bassa counties to improve infrastructure and advance socio-economic development.
In Nimba County, the company has focused on refurbishing key arterial roads that connect remote communities to major towns, especially those in the mining towns and villages.
This support has facilitated easier and more reliable access to essential services, markets, and educational institutions, improved the quality of life for residents, and boosted local commerce by ensuring efficient transportation of goods.
In Grand Bassa County, ArcelorMittal Liberia has regularly upgraded crucial roadways that are vital for local transportation and regional connectivity in and out of the Port City of Buchanan.
The rehabilitation works have included resurfacing roads, repairing bridges, and implementing better drainage systems to withstand heavy rains and reduce road maintenance costs in the long term.
These infrastructure improvements are part of the company’s broader corporate social responsibility initiatives, which aim to support sustainable development and demonstrate its role as a responsible corporate citizen in Liberia.