In summary:
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A supporter of the Coalition for Democratic Change, J. Jefferson Chesson, has claimed that the Tappita to Toe Town Road Project was approved by the World Bank in December 2021 and that the contract was signed on August 18, 2023, during CDC administration.
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We have verified these claims by reviewing the World Bank document, and it shows that the project was approved on June 4, 2021, and the road works contract was signed on August 18, 2023.
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Overall, the evidence shows that while Mr. Chesson’s timeline for the project approval was incorrect, both claims correctly attributed the project to the CDC administration.
On September 30, J Jefferson Chesson, former Assistant Minister of Public Works, claimed in a Facebook post that the Tappita–Toe town road project was approved by the World Bank in December 2021, and that the procurement process was completed and the contract signed on August 18, 2023, during the administration of former President George Weah.
Fact Check By: Ralitsa Massah, Intern Researcher
Chesson made these claims in a Facebook post, highlighting that the project was not initiated by the current administration of President Joseph N. Boakai, but former President Weah.
Claim # 1
He wrote to Facebook: “The Tappita to Toe Town Road project is a 40 KM road project approved by the World Bank in DECEMBER 2021.”
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we searched the website of the World Bank and found that its Board approved the project on June 4, 2021, but it became effective on December 14, 2021.
The Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP) is not a standalone road initiative; it is part of a larger agricultural transformation strategy, which connects infrastructure development (roads) to agricultural income and market access. The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works.
According to a World Bank press release published on December 22, 2023 following the signing of the Second Additional Financing for the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP-AF II), the original RETRAP was approved by the World Bank on June 4, 2021, while the first additional financing from the Bank’s Crisis Response Window – Early Response Financing (CRW-ERF) came online on December 22, 2022, to help the Government of Liberia to respond to food, employment, and resilience crisis. The current closing date of the RETRAP is June 30, 2029.
Below is a screenshot of the key details of the project, including its disclosure date, when it was approved, and when it became effective:
Conclusion
Based on a review of information published on the World Bank website, we conclude that the claim by Mr. Chesson that the RETRAP project was approved by the World Bank in December 2021 is correct.
The project was approved by the World Bank on June 4, 2021, during the CDC administration and has had different stages of funding approvals.
Claim #2
Chesson also claimed that “Procurement process was completed and CONTRACT SIGNED ON AUGUST 18, 2023 under PRESIDENT GEORGE WEAH”.
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we reviewed the World Bank Document, which shows that the road works contract for Tappita to Toe Town was signed on August 18, 2023.
Additionally, former Minister Ruth Coker-Collins revealed in a FrontPage Africa article published in January 2024 that the procurement process and works contract signature of the 40km Tappita – Toe Town Road Section were signed on August 18, 2023, while negotiation for the conduct of Biodiversity Field Survey (BFS) was in progress before the CDC administration left power.
Meanwhile, the Analyst Newspaper, quoting former Public Works Minister Collins, reported on January 19, 2024 that the Procurement Process and Works Contract signature of the RETRAP Project was on August 18, 2023.
Below is a screenshot of the detailed information about the procurement of the works contract for the rehabilitation of the Tappita –Toe Town Road session.
Conclusion
Based on a review of the World Bank project document and media reports, we conclude that the claim made by former Minister Chesson that the procurement process and works contract of the Tappita to Toe Town Road project was signed on August 18, 2023, is correct.
A review of the procurement document of the road project on the website of the World Bank reveals that the procurement of the works contract for the road project was done on August 18, 2023, during the administration of former President George Weah.
