Former representative candidate and agriculturist Bories Barlea has criticized ongoing bridge construction works in Nimba County District #5, undertaken by Representative Kortor Kwagrue, describing the projects as “unguaranteed” and lacking approval from the Ministry of Public Works.
Speaking in a telephone interview with the Daily Observer, Mr. Barlea said the bridges are substandard and pose a serious hazard to road users, particularly heavy-duty vehicles that frequently use the route.
In May 2026, Representative Kwagrue initiated two major bridge projects in the district. The first, located near Gblorlay along the Bahn–Buutuo road, was reportedly completed within approximately two weeks. A second bridge project at the lower section of the same waterway, near Frolay Town, is still ongoing.
While many residents have welcomed the development as a significant milestone, Mr. Barlea cautioned that the size of the waterway requires technical assessment and professional engineering oversight to avoid future disaster.
He noted that the bridges were previously made of wood or planks laid over steel beams but were repeatedly damaged each year when floods swept away materials or heavy vehicles broke the structures.
In the latest works, Rep. Kwagrue and his team began replacing the wooden structures with concrete bridges, an initiative some citizens have described as a major development milestone for the Buu-Yao Administrative District in recent times.
However, critics, including Mr. Barlea, have raised concerns about the structural safety of the bridges in the absence of supervision from the Ministry of Public Works.
“Bridges of such should take at least 90 days before any vehicle can ply over them. Again, placing steel rods over steel beams and casting concrete is not guaranteed for a road like the Bahn–Buutuo highway, which is one of the key trade routes in Nimba,” Mr. Barlea said.
Residents, while appreciative of the initiative, also expressed concern about the structural integrity of the bridges.
“We are all happy to see Giah Bridge built with concrete, but we don’t know how guaranteed it is for our trucks,” said David Moore, a driver in the area.
A visit by the Daily Observer to the site revealed that the waterway is wide, measuring approximately 20 feet across and about 40 feet deep in some areas.
Although the representative has been seen participating in the construction work, the identity of the engineering firm or supervising professionals remains unclear.
One of the bridges near Gblorlay has reportedly been cast and is awaiting curing, while construction on the second bridge near Frolay in the Nimkweah belt is still ongoing.
When contacted, the Resident Engineer of Nimba County, Anthony Siaway, said his office had attempted unsuccessfully to obtain the bridge design plans.
He further disclosed that the project appears to be politically driven, adding that any attempt to halt or question the work could be interpreted as interference and may jeopardize his position.
“When I visited the Giah near Gblorlay, I asked the honorable man to stop and come to my office with the design of the bridges. He has yet to come, but as soon as I left, they resumed work immediately,” he said.
Efforts by the Daily Observer to reach Representative Kwagrue were unsuccessful as his phone could not be reached. However, in a Facebook post in late May 2026, the lawmaker stated that he was financing the bridge construction with his personal funds, though he did not provide details on the contractor or engineering guarantees.
It remains unclear whether an individual can independently fund such infrastructure projects, which typically require professional engineering firms and can cost close to US$100,000 per bridge.
The road where the bridges are being constructed remains a busy corridor used daily by heavy trucks transporting agricultural produce, including cocoa and plantains, among others.
In a recent development, the bridge project near Frolay has reportedly been abandoned, leaving the stretch of road between Frolay and Gblorlay disconnected.
“This is a constraint for us living in this community because we cannot easily get to nearby clinics or access hospitals using this route. There is no detour or even a path for motorcycles to pass,” said an elderly woman in Dinplay.
