The Government of Sierra Leone has reportedly abandoned the construction of 42 feeder roads across the Freetown municipality, a project initially awarded to the China Railway International Group (CRIG) by the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) between 2020 and 2021.
CRIG, a Chinese construction company, had previously entered into an agreement with the Sierra Leonean government under former President Ernest Bai Koroma to construct the Mamamah International Airport.
However, this project was cancelled in 2018 by the government of President Julius Maada Bio, citing undisclosed reasons through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.
In what appeared to be an alternative arrangement, the Bio administration awarded the feeder roads project in the Western Area to CRIG, potentially to avoid legal disputes with the company over the cancellation of Mamamah airport project.
Investigations reveal that the government ceased funding the feeder roads project in 2023, forcing CRIG to halt operations and eventually withdraw from Sierra Leone due to financial constraints. This came despite the company pre-financing the project to kick-start its activities in some areas.
At the height of its operations in Sierra Leone, CRIG employed over 150 Sierra Leonean youths in both skilled and unskilled positions. Some construction work on the feeder roads had already commenced, including roads such as Murray Town to Aberdeen, Berry Street to Tree Planting, A.J. Momoh Street, Rokel Street, and Macaulay Street.
However, the abrupt withdrawal of funding left many of these projects incomplete, with the company left with no choice but to shut down its operations in Sierra Leone.
Speaking on the matter, Bashirr Sheriff, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA), clarified that his institution does not award contracts but provides funding.
“The SLRA would have been the best institution to speak with regarding this investigation, but if they are refusing to engage with you, I will present this issue whenever we have a meeting,” Sheriff stated.
The abandonment of this project raises concerns about government accountability and the impact of such decisions on development and employment opportunities for Sierra Leoneans.
Sierra Leone, especially the capital city has been struggling with poor roads networks especially the feeder road and the access to basic amenities is a big challenge for even people leaving within the capital city.
Repeated attempts by this medium to get a response from the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) through phone calls and formal letters have so far proven futile.ashid Dumbuya Receives Two Outstanding Award
