By Mohamed T. Massaquoi
Residents of Pujehun have expressed concern over the district headquarters township road construction project contracted to T- Mark Company.
Chairman of the Pujehun District civil society coalition, Ibrahim Swaray told Politico that he had told the lands minister on a recent visit to Pujehun that the company lacked the "competency and equipment to construct the roads".
He said their workers worked vigorously both during the day and at night, splashing water all over the place during the visit to the town by the president in March to mark International Women's Day.
"That was to impress the president that they were really serious about the work, but since he left they have been laggard" Swaray said.
He went on that most of the machines that had brought to do the roads had been taken away "clandestinely" by the company.
He expressed concern that with the raining season approaching "the work is still far from completed", adding that the central government was "careless with issues affecting us in Pujehun district". He warned that Pujehun was part of Sierra Leone and we should be treated equally as others.
He said the Pujehun road project should have lasted for two years, adding that at a stakeholders meeting in Pujehun in 2013 it was revealed that all the roads should be paved before December of the same year which he said had proved futile.
"I felt very bad when I saw how SALCOST was operating in Magburaka as compared to here in Pujehun and I have been made to understand that some government officials are shareholders at T- Mark company and as such they award contracts to them in which they are aware of the fact that the company is not up to the job" Swaray said.
He said this same company could not complete the road project in Moyamba district yet they were awarded Pujehun, Mattru and the 16-kilometre Bandajuma road projects which he said was testament to something being fishy with it.
He referred to the work as substandard and added that the few areas that have been tarred had started cracking and pleaded with the government to have another contractor.
In the same regard, the former Secretary General of the Pujehun District Students' Association (PUDSA), Joseph Victor Moore has referred to the company as "a disappointment to the government". He said the government made a very good initiative by awarding each district some kilometres of road but faulted the awarding of some of the contracts including T-Mark.
Moore said the "poor and slow nature of the company" had brought about many accidents to residents. He said that "very recently we have lost the life of our brother through this road construction" adding that the company workers packed objects on the roads without road signs. He referred to the company's approach to the road work as a "disaster to the community" and blamed the government for "the lack of supervision and even assessment when contracts are being awarded".
When contacted the project manager of the said company who introduced himself only as Michael said they were genuinely tarring the road before the visit of the president. He said a strategy had been put in place for the raining season a work plan having been submitted to the minister in charge. He assured the people of a very good work and pleaded to them to exercise patience.
On other allegations he declined to comment referring Politico to the administrative head who would not talk despite days of trying.
(C) Politico 08/05/14
