Todee Administrative District, Montserrado County – Tuesday, January 27, 2026

The Ministry of Transport, under the leadership of Hon. Sirleaf Ralph Tyler, Minister of Transport, led a high-powered delegation to the Todee Administrative District to resolve a misunderstanding between the Make it Red Group and the China Union Concession Company.
The dispute arose from residents along the China Union rail line who form part of the Make it Red Group. During a stakeholder meeting attended by local authorities, community members, company officials, and Ministry representatives, Minister Tyler urged the group to refrain from using the company’s rail to transport coal. He assured them that the Ministry is actively working with China Union to establish a safer, more affordable system for transporting coal from Todee to Monrovia, enabling sellers to continue their business transactions without disruption.
This latest intervention builds on the Ministry’s earlier success on December 9, 2025, when Deputy Minister Hon. Rudolph G. Natt and Assistant Minister Hon. Zunu K. Duyann secured an agreement with China Union to transport charcoal via train wagons from White Plains to the Louisiana Market at a cost of only 50 Liberian dollars. That landmark decision drastically reduced transportation expenses and provided much-needed relief to charcoal sellers.
At the January 27 meeting, Hon. Natt Deputy Minister for Land and Rail Transport proposed the use of a flatbed attachment to the company’s train to facilitate coal transport for residents along the rail. Both parties agreed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize the arrangement.
Deputy Minister Natt reiterated that strict regulations remain in place: beginning December 2025, unauthorized Make it Red operations on the rail are prohibited, with violators facing the full weight of the law. Assistant Minister Duyann reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting livelihoods, ensuring that sellers can sustain their businesses and provide education for their children.
Mr. Harrison Powell, Market Superintendent of Louisiana and representative of the Make it Red Group, welcomed the Ministry’s efforts and pledged to share updates with members who could not attend. Charcoal sellers and residents expressed gratitude for the Ministry’s proactive role, recognizing the initiative as a turning point in addressing long-standing transportation challenges.