By Rocheford T. Gardiner
CPNTV News
Harper, Liberia — June 8, 2026
In what can only be described as a swift move to stay on top of its game—and a definitive answer to critics who claimed our reporting was nothing but a fabrication—the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has officially announced a sweeping temporary moratorium on heavy-weight vehicles navigating the country’s vulnerable, unpaved primary road corridors during the height of the 2026 rainy season.
The policy directive comes directly on the heels of hasty, emergency rehabilitation works executed by the Ministry in Southeastern Liberia, specifically along the critical boundary stretch connecting Grand Gedeh and River Gee counties.
For days, this reporter faced a barrage of insults and targeted criticism from a handful of ignorant political scalawags. These detractors loudly claimed that our alerts regarding the deteriorating conditions of the Grand Gedeh – River Gee boundary road were total lies. However, truth has a way of outlasting noise. The Ministry’s sudden deployment of yellow machines to patch up that exact spot just a couple of days ago provided the first wave of vindication. Today’s major policy shift seals it.
The 75-Day Ban
Citing its “statutory mandate to protect national infrastructure and ensure road safety,” the MPW issued the restriction via its official media channels. The temporary moratorium blocks any heavy goods vehicle exceeding 25 metric tons—inclusive of both the vehicle’s weight and its cargo—from plying key unpaved routes.
The emergency measure will span 75 days, officially taking effect on July 31, 2026, and running through October 15, 2026.
According to the Ministry, the intervention is explicitly intended to preserve what is left of the interior road networks, enhance public safety, and reduce the rapid, catastrophic road deterioration caused by overloaded trucks sinking into waterlogged mud during this highly vulnerable seasonal period.
Target Corridors
The ban will directly impact six vital, unpaved commercial arteries stretching across multiple Liberian counties:
| # | Primary Road Corridor | Distance | Affected Counties |
| 1 | Tappita to Zwedru | 115 km | Nimba & Grand Gedeh |
| 2 | Zwedru to Kanweaken | 111 km | Grand Gedeh & River Gee |
| 3 | Buchanan to Greenville | 205 km | Grand Bassa, Rivercess & Sinoe |
| 4 | Pleebo to Barclayville | 75 km | Maryland & Grand Kru |
| 5 | Salayea to Mendikorma | 194 km | Lofa |
| 6 | Brewerville to Bopolu | 90 km | Montserrado, Bomi & Gbarpolu |
Joint Enforcement and Warnings
The MPW has issued a stern warning to all transport operators, multi-national concessionaires, and logging or logistics firms to adhere strictly to the 25-metric-ton limit. The Ministry emphasized that any violations will result in aggressive punitive measures.
Recognizing that policy is only as good as its enforcement, the Ministry has already held extensive consultations with key sectoral stakeholders. A powerful coalition of national security and transport institutions has been formally notified to police the corridors and ensure absolute compliance:
- The Liberia National Police (LNP)
- The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS)
- The Ministry of Transport (MOT)
- The Ministry of National Defense (via the Armed Forces of Liberia – AFL)
- The National Transport Union (NTU)
“We appreciate the cooperation of all stakeholders in safeguarding Liberia’s infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted connectivity,” the Ministry stated closing out its release.
While the political praise-singers try to find their footing after being exposed by the Ministry’s own actions, the reality remains: our roads are in peril, and it takes robust journalism—not partisan denial—to get the wheels of government turning. CPNTV will continue to monitor the enforcement of this moratorium and the structural integrity of our highways as the heavy rains settle in.
