Nimba County: Residents of Bonla and Lugbehyee in Nimba County are breathing a sigh of relief after ArcelorMittal Liberia replaced dangerous wooden crossings with concrete bridges, restoring safer access to markets, schools, farms and essential services.
For years, residents of the two communities endured the difficult and sometimes dangerous task of crossing creeks on makeshift wooden bridges. During heavy rains, the crossings became particularly hazardous, disrupting transportation and threatening the movement of people, vehicles and goods.
That challenge has now been eased following the construction of two concrete bridges by ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML), providing more dependable passage for motorists, motorcyclists, pedestrians, farmers and traders.
The intervention has generated relief among residents who depend on the road network to reach schools, health facilities, farms, markets and neighboring communities.
Bonla, located near Liberia’s border with Guinea in northwestern Nimba, is also situated near Mount Yuelliton, also known as Yeleweleton, where AML conducts mining activities.
The communities had long depended on large logs placed across waterways as temporary crossings. The structures deteriorated over time and became increasingly difficult to navigate, particularly during the rainy season.
The unsafe crossings also disrupted commercial transportation and made it difficult for farmers to move agricultural produce to markets, affecting the movement of essential goods and services in and out of the communities.
Harrison Waydon, Community Relations Superintendent at AML, said, the company intervened after assessing the condition of the existing crossings and their impact on residents and commercial operators.
“The condition then made Bonlah Town inaccessible, and at some point in time, commercial vehicles traveling on the road would fall off the bridges, thereby leading to losses,” Waydon explained.
He said, the project was intended to address an immediate safety concern while improving transportation and access for communities that depend heavily on the road for their daily activities.
The newly constructed concrete bridges are expected to provide more durable and reliable crossings while reducing transportation disruptions that previously intensified during periods of heavy rainfall.
For Bonla and Lugbehyee, however, the project represents more than the replacement of wooden structures with concrete.
The bridges are expected to support local economic activity by making it easier for farmers to transport produce, traders to reach markets and commercial vehicles to move safely through the area.
Reliable transportation infrastructure is particularly important in rural communities, where poor roads and unsafe crossings can increase the cost of moving agricultural products, restrict access to essential services and limit economic opportunities.
The intervention also comes as AML continues its broader community engagement and development initiatives in areas surrounding its operations.
Over the years, the company has supported community-focused programs in Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong counties, covering areas including road rehabilitation, education, healthcare, housing, agriculture, scholarships, community engagement and employment.
In Nimba, AML has worked with communities along its mining and railway corridors to address development priorities and strengthen relationships with host and neighboring communities.
Its community initiatives have included support for housing, agricultural activities and livelihood opportunities, while health-related interventions have sought to improve access to essential services in communities around its operations.
The company has also supported education through assistance to schools and scholarship opportunities, alongside local employment initiatives designed to create opportunities for residents in communities located near its operations.
The Bonla and Lugbehyee bridge project adds another practical dimension to those interventions by addressing a basic infrastructure challenge with a direct impact on everyday life.
For residents who previously depended on unstable wooden crossings, the concrete bridges offer more than convenience. They provide safer passage, greater reliability and improved confidence for people traveling between communities.
The project could also strengthen commercial activity by making it easier for farmers and traders to transport goods and for commercial vehicles to access previously difficult sections of the road.
For mining companies operating in rural communities, infrastructure development remains an important component of engagement with host populations. Roads and bridges can help connect communities to markets and essential services while contributing to safer and more efficient movement.
For the people of Bonla and Lugbehyee, the immediate benefit is straightforward: a safer road, a stronger connection and fewer barriers to reaching the places and services they depend on.
The replacement of the precarious wooden crossings, with permanent concrete structures marks a significant improvement in local mobility and removes a longstanding physical obstacle confronting residents.
As ArcelorMittal Liberia continues its operations in Nimba, the Bonla and Lugbehyee bridge project stands as a practical example of targeted community infrastructure investment—one designed to improve safety, mobility and economic access for residents living around its operational areas.
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