PLEEBO, Maryland County – Scores of workers employed by SSF Construction Company Incorporated on Thursday blocked the Pleebo–Barclayville Highway, bringing traffic to a standstill for nearly four hours as they demanded payment of salaries, they claim have remained outstanding for ten months.
By Peter P. Toe, Jr., peterp.toe@frontpageafricaonline.com
The protest, which began around 7:00 a.m. and ended at approximately 11:00 a.m., disrupted movement along the principal road connecting Maryland and Grand Kru Counties.
Workers parked a haul truck across the highway, erected makeshift barricades with sticks, and set tires ablaze, preventing vehicles from passing through the area.
The protesters, including drivers, mechanics, motor grader operators, heavy-duty equipment operators, and other workers assigned to the road rehabilitation project, accused the company of repeatedly delaying salary payments despite their continued service.
“We are not protesting for anybody; we are protesting for our salaries,” said Stephen Mensah, a motor grader operator who served as spokesperson for the group.
“We have worked for 10 months. During that time, we faced many serious problems that should have been solved with money. But the company has refused to pay us. That is why we are here today demanding our money.”
Mensah claimed the workers have been employed by the company for more than thirteen years and alleged that salary disputes have become a recurring issue.
“Every time we have to protest before getting our money. We worked on the road from Pleebo to Barclayville and helped improve it. Today taxis can travel the road, motorcycles can travel the road, but the company does not want to pay us,” he said.
He further alleged that workers were recently promised one month’s salary payment but only received half of the amount expected.
The workers also recounted the death of a colleague whom they claimed struggled to access his earnings while battling illness.
“One of our workers was sick and couldn’t get his pay until he died. Our children are out of school because we cannot afford to send them. Enough is enough,” Mensah added.
WHO Vehicle Delayed
Among those affected by the protest was a vehicle belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) that was transporting supplies to Grand Kru County.
According to protesters, WHO personnel appealed to be allowed passage, citing the importance of the supplies being transported. However, the demonstrators initially refused, insisting that allowing vehicles through without addressing their grievances would weaken their efforts to draw attention to their salary concerns.
The WHO vehicle reportedly remained stranded for several hours while negotiations continued. Photographs from the scene showed WHO personnel engaging protesters and appealing for passage.
The vehicle was eventually allowed to continue its journey following discussions between protesters and authorities.
Police Intervention
Officers of the Liberia National Police responded to the scene after receiving reports of the blockade.
The police team was led by Region Five Chief of Operations Superintendent J. Max Roberts and Maryland County Police Commander William Neufville.
The officers gathered information from the protesters and engaged them in negotiations aimed at restoring normal traffic flow while seeking a peaceful resolution to the dispute.
Following discussions with the workers, police appealed for calm and assured protesters that efforts would be made to address their concerns through appropriate channels.
The protesters subsequently removed the haul truck, sticks, and burning tires from the highway, allowing traffic to resume after approximately four hours of disruption.
Another protester alleged that the Government of Liberia has already paid for the road works being undertaken by SSF Construction Company. However, that claim could not be independently verified, and the company had not publicly responded to the allegations as of press time.
The road project is part of President Boakai’s 100-day roads project, an ongoing effort to improve transportation access between Maryland and Grand Kru Counties.
