Sustaining the Mandate: Acting Works Minister, Hon. Ruth Coker-Collins Commits to Roads Connectivity

MONROVIA, DECEMBER 20, 2020

Days after she was appointed and confirmed Deputy Public Works Minister for Technical Services by President George Manneh Weah and the Honorable Liberian Senate respectively, the Acting Public Works Minister, Madam Ruth Coker-Collins,  has proved to be workaholic, a teamplayer, a unifier and a dedicated public servant who continues to execute the mandate of President Weah’s development program which places roads connectivity at the height of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) as enshrined in Pillar Two of the much promulgated policy framework paper which is replete with socio-economic policy prescriptions necessary for Liberia’s sprouting road sector under the CDC led hegemony.

In her first thirty days in office as Deputy Public Works Minister for Technical Services [M-2], the firebrand female technocrat toured all six counties in the southeastern part of the country: Rivercess, Sinoe, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Maryland and River Gee Counties.

The object of travel, amongst many things, was principally to follow up on various road projects across the country, beginning with the southeast that experienced perennial road deficits and hold-ups.

While in the southeast, she paid courtesy visits at various project sites including the Fish Town-Harper Road Project, Harper-Karloken, Karloken-Fish Town and Fish Town-Kelipo.

Others included: Kelipo-Zwedru, Harper Junction-Cavalla Customs, Greenville City Streets, Sass Town City Streets, Barclayville City Streets, amongst a host of other projects in Nimba County including Ganta-Saclepea.

Fast Forward:

In the wake of the passing of then Public Works Minister, Hon. Mobutu Vlah Nyenpan [whom Madam Collins worked with closely], she continues to instill unity amongst workers, and has demonstrated a great deal of leadership, evidenced by the fact that as Acting Minister, many staff and officials have dubbed her stewardship as “Rainbow Leadership” that harnesses the workings of all and sundry irrespective of regional persuasions, party bigotry, or the like.

As Acting Minister, Hon. Coker-Collins has herculean tasks overseeing Liberia’s Infrastructural Sector, with emphasis on the country’s Road Network of approximately 13000km.

Under her watch as Acting Public Works Minister cum Deputy for Technical Services, several projects have hit the ground running: Recommissioning of the RIA Road Reconstruction and Modernization Plan, witnessing the arrival of South Korean Engineering and Consultancy Group, ilshin;

Other projects are the ongoing Special Presidential Lightning Project which will see over one thousand five hundred street lights across Monrovia and its environs; and Groundbreaking and subsequent commencement of the Ganta-Saclepea project in which Resettlement Action Plan is being work on ahead of active civil works next year;

Within a relatively short period, Madam Ruth Coker-Collins is ably executing the mandate of President Weah’s mandate and has demonstrated the truest sense of administrative continuity at the level of Liberia’s Infrastructure Ministry-the Ministry of Public Works.

Thank you so far Madam Minister; “The Road to Development Begins with Road”.