Contractor and local traditional leaders
By Septimus Senessie in Kono
With loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Sierra Leone Roads Authority and the Ministry of Works over the weekend commissioned the 50-km Sefadu-Yiye road in Kono district.
In her keynote address, Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office, Harriette Turay, thanked the Kuwaiti government for making available to the people of Sierra Leone a loan of over US$ 24 million for the rehabilitation of phase two of the Matotoka/Sefadu road, which she said was set for completion within 24 months.
Over the years, she said, the government had become aware of the deplorable conditions of the main roads leading to the district headquarter town of Koidu, which "had slowed down the economic activities of the people in the district".
She said the “frantic effort” of government over the years had attracted funding in the form of loans to rehabilitate the long neglected 120 KM of the Matotoka/Sefadu Road with its phase one (Matotoka/Yiye 70km) currently under rehabilitation by SALCOST and funded by the African Development Bank. She said phase two (Sefadu/Yiye 50km) had also been awarded to the China Henan International Corporation Group Co., (CHICO Sierra Leone Limited), with loans from Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
Minister Turay said the road project aimed to improve economic activity in Kono by reducing vehicular movement costs and travel time from Freetown to the district “from the present backbreaking state to a smooth status, thereby fostering regional integration”.
She pleaded with the people of Kono district to widely open their monitoring eyes on the road work so as to enhance quality.
On the specifications of the road, the Acting Director General of SLRA, Abdul Aziz Kamara, said the road would meet international standards with 1.5 millimetres well paved shoulder on each side, a 50 millimetres concrete asphalts thickness, base of 150 millimetres crushed rocks, sub-base of 200 millimetres stabilised crushed laterite and 7 meters carriage.
He said the designs of the road would last for 15 years after completion.
Kamara said they had already paid for the quarry deposit in Nimikoro chiefdom, adding that they were also working on the payment of compensation of affected plantations and structures for the commencement of the rehabilitation proper.
Handing over the contractual document to CHICO, the Acting minister of Works, Babar Galleh assured that the road work would start in Sefadu through Yiye, hence enhancing young people in the district with employment opportunities.
He admonished the police to provide maximum security for the assets of the company.
Receiving the contractual document, the Project Manager of CHICO, Wang Jin Gang, assured the people of quality work saying their aim was not only geared towards money making but “on quality work that will enhance local partnership with China and the people of Sierra Leone.”
Paramount Chief of Tankoro chiefdom, PC Paul Gabba Saquee IV, described the award of the contract as “a dream come true,” adding that there had been several allegations from certain quarters in the district that paramount chiefs and other authorities had “distributed the funds meant for the rehabilitation of the road amongst ourselves.”
(C) Politico 08/04/14
