On November 3, 2026, Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, President of the Gontougo Regional Council, held a meeting with youth organizations in Bondoukou to discuss possible solutions for expanding the A1 highway. The meeting took place at the Bondoukou city hall and comes after young people occupied the highway construction site on October 28, 2026. They demanded that the road be upgraded to 2x2 lanes, contrary to the initial project. This mobilization aimed to draw the attention of authorities to the importance of this infrastructure for Bondoukou's development.
The meeting follows discussions with the Prefect of Bondoukou and Deputy Koffi Mouroufie to find a consensual solution and allow the resumption of work. Adjoumani stated that he had contacted the Minister of Infrastructure and Road Maintenance, Yacouba Hien Sié, to examine the possibilities of expanding the road. According to him, the Minister acknowledged the need for this upgrade but highlighted the financial constraints related to compensation for land acquisition in the city.
Adjoumani reported that the Minister mentioned that the cost of compensation for land acquisition in the city would be three times the budget for the asphalt. He suggested alternative solutions, including widened arrangements on several strategic axes. These include the corridor up to the Fofié station and from Kouassi-Ndawa to Bondoukou. Similar proposals concern the Bouna and Soko axes.
Adjoumani also mentioned the East Highway project announced by President Alassane Ouattara, which will be developed into 2x4 lanes. He discussed the possibility of building a connecting road to the Bouna axis. According to him, work on the 17 kilometers announced by the Head of State is ongoing.
However, widening the road in the urban area would require impact studies and the relocation of electrical and telephone networks. These operations could take two years and may involve the demolition of houses, affecting part of the Bondoukou modern college and a gas station. Adjoumani called on young people to prioritize dialogue and allow the current construction site to continue.
The proposals will be recorded in a report prepared by the Prefect with representatives of young people and transmitted to the Minister of Infrastructure and Road Maintenance for examination. Alexis Adjoumani Kouadio, the departmental delegate of the National Youth Council of Côte d'Ivoire (CNJCI) in Bondoukou, apologized on behalf of the youth for the incidents during mobilizations.
Kouadio assured that consultations were conducted among young people to reach a constructive and consensual solution. The solutions proposed by Adjoumani aim to find an alternative that takes into account the financial constraints and the impact on the local population. The outcome of these discussions will be crucial for the development of Bondoukou and the improvement of its infrastructure.
Key points
- Côte d'Ivoire's government considers expanding A1 highway to 2x2 lanes.
- Local youth had occupied the construction site demanding changes to the initial project.
- The project faces financial constraints related to land acquisition and compensation.
