Information Minister, Jerolinmek Matthew Piah, has taken an apparent swipe at former President George Weah while highlighting ongoing road infrastructure projects being undertaken by the administration of President Joseph Boakai.
Speaking during a public engagement in Lofa County, Minister Piah referenced the phrase “bad road medicine,” a slogan previously associated with former President Weah during infrastructure discussions under his administration, and argued that the current government is delivering more sustainable road development projects.
“The day any of you are fortunate to go to Monrovia, I encourage you to go to Duala,” Piah said. “I heard someone was calling himself ‘bad road medicine’ here. But President Boakai is actually that ‘bad road medicine,” he added, drawing reactions from members of the audience.
The information minister went on to outline several ongoing road construction initiatives in and around the capital, particularly the rehabilitation of the Duala corridor and the Johnson Street to Freeport route. According to him, the Boakai administration has moved away from temporary road patching methods and is instead pursuing complete reconstruction of damaged roads.
“That Duala Road that they been fixing and spoiling, we decided not to patch it anymore. They rooted out that entire road and built a new one,” he stated.
Piah explained that work on the road began last year and had already reached Logan Town, adding that pavement works are now underway during the current dry season. He added, “For the first time, it will be a brand-new paved road.”
He also disclosed that the Liberian Government has secured additional international support for major road expansion works. According to Piah, the Government of Japan has provided funding for the reconstruction of the Johnson Street to Freeport Road corridor.
“From Johnson Street to Freeport, that one we have not touched yet. The same Japanese who gave us grant for the Somalia Drive Road have given us US$22 million to now build from Johnson Street to Free Port,” he revealed.
Road infrastructure remains one of the most debated governance issues in Liberia, with successive administrations often facing public scrutiny over poor road conditions, especially in densely populated communities around Monrovia and other parts of the country.
During his presidency, George Weah frequently promoted road construction projects as part of his development agenda, earning praise from supporters who nicknamed him “bad road medicine” for initiating several road rehabilitation efforts.
However, officials of the current administration have argued that many of those projects lacked durability and proper completion standards, insisting that President Boakai’s government is focusing on long-term infrastructure solutions.
Minister Piah’s remarks are expected to further intensify political debate between supporters of the ruling Unity Party and the opposition Congress for Democratic Change over the state of national infrastructure and development priorities. The government is yet to release additional technical details regarding timelines for the ongoing road projects.
