Government celebration over road construction means little if it does not improve the daily lives of ordinary Liberians, Sinoe County Senator Crayton Duncan has warned. He argues that while roads are important, they cannot be the centerpiece of development if citizens remain unable to afford basic necessities.
Senator Duncan criticized what he described as a culture of boasting about infrastructure while ignoring the harsh economic realities on the ground. “Rubbing the thing in the Liberian people’s face is not development,” he said, stressing that simply pointing to new roads does not change living conditions for the poor. He noted that he can now travel to Sinoe by road, but asked a pointed question: “Can you tell me how much for one bag of cement in Sinoe County?” According to him, a single bag costs 15 U.S. dollars, far beyond the reach of many local residents.
He underscored this disconnect by highlighting the income of local leaders compared to the price of building materials. “You’re paying the town chief 60, 70 dollars,” Duncan said. “How can he afford to buy cement to build a place for him to stay?” In his view, it is meaningless to pave roads into communities where people still cannot afford to construct safe, durable homes.
The Senator revealed that between 85 and 90 percent of houses in Sinoe County are still made of mud bricks or other temporary materials. This, he argued, is a clear sign that development is not reaching the people in a way that transforms their standard of living. Roads alone, he warned, risk becoming “window dressing” if they are not tied to policies that lower the cost of essential goods and improve household security.
“Development is more than roads,” Duncan emphasized. “If it does not affect the bread-and-butter issues of the people, then it is only hype. Government must stop the hype and deliver real impact.” He called on national leaders to move beyond ribbon-cutting and photo opportunities and instead craft policies that directly reduce the cost of living.
Senator Duncan urged the government to align road construction with broader economic measures aimed at making basic commodities more affordable and accessible, particularly in rural areas like Sinoe. For him, true progress means that a town chief can not only drive on a paved road, but also afford cement to build a decent home.
