By Nasratu Kargbo
Undertones from MPs became overtones, whilst others tapped tables in agreement with some of their colleagues that questioned the quality of some of the roads constructed by the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG), especially the Wellington-Masiaka Highway.
The MPs on the 8th August 2024 rose on Standing Order 23 to draw the attention of the house to the dilapidated state of the controversial Wellington to Masiaka Highway bearing the three tollgates that has come under public scrutiny over the agreement and the recent increase in toll charges. The Matotoka - Kono road was also highlighted.
MP for Falaba District, Mohamed Billor Shaw stressed that the standard and quality of the road is poor, despite the huge money the company is collecting from the three tollgates that had charges increased.
Shaw said roads constructed by local contractors are more standard compared to the Wellington-Masiaka highway.
“Under your leadership, I want you to revisit or call for the document that contains the contract with CRSG, so we can see what we can do. If they leave that road with us for a year, we will be driving on potholes to Masaika” he asked. He called on the Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas to ply that route in order to observe its current status, stressing that the Speaker will immediately ask for a revisit of the contact, after his experience.
The MP also brought the attention of the leadership of parliament and colleagues to a structure that is being erected at Ojuku, along the same route which he described as a death trap. “We need to prevent that disaster from happening,” he emphasized.
Kono District MP, Tamba Kellie also expressed concern over the deplorable state of the road from Matotoka to Kono which he said was constructed by two companies, SALCOST from Italy and a Chinese company, pointing out that the part of the road that was construct by the Chinese is not in a good state.
“I am not here to lambast or lampoon the construction company, but when you leave the SALCOST part of the road and enter the Chinese part, you will see the wobbliness of the road and potholes” Kellie said.
Like Shaw, the MP also spoke of the Wellington-Masiaka highway, stating that they are not experts in engineering but can see that the road is not good enough.
After listening to complaints and explaining what he has seen whilst conducting oversight tours, the Chairman of Works and Public Assets Committee in Parliament Bashiru Silikie agreed that the Chinese should do a good job but stressed that “We should encourage the Ministry responsible for planning to go back to the drawing board. This is so serious, we need to summon people building on the right of way and waterways or drainage paths”.
The MP who is also the Deputy Leader of Government Business explained that whilst they were on oversight, they saw houses built on waterways and right of way, resulting in drainages being blocked by debris from the hills that find their way onto the streets.
He cited the Tesco fuel station located at Allentown that has blocked the waterway. He also spoke of people using excavators by the right of way to build houses.
“We the Sierra Leoneans are responsible for our own problems, the way people are treating the waterways is unbearable. Even the drainages constructed by the Chinese have been blocked. I think we need to do a lot of country planning” Silikie passionately explained.
He mentioned the Lumley - Tokeh road, Wilkinson road, Shell to Waterloo and Masiaka Highway amongst other roads where their right of ways have been blocked due to human activities.
The Speaker asked that Silikie in his capacity as the Chairman should invite people that are building houses in those areas.
It is no secret that due to the dilapidated state of the Wellington- Masiaka highway, parts of the road are currently under renovation. One can see the exposed granite being washed by the rain and potholes filled with muddy waters. Motorists and commuters could often be heard expressing dismay at the poor state of the roads.
The government of Sierra Leone in partnership with CRSG launched the Wellington-Masiaka road project in 2016, with an agreement that the loan for the road be repaid over a period of twenty-seven years through monies from the charges at the toll gates erected at Hastings, Songo and Masiaka.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (12/08/24)
