President Kabbah Briefs World Bank Project Appraisal Team
By Yusuf Alghali

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah has told the visiting World Bank Project Appraisal and Assessment mission about the present status of the country's roads infrastructure as well as government's priority in further improving the network of feeder and trunk roads countrywide. The team, led by World Bank Supervisor Mr. David Rudge, is in Freetown to hold talks with government regarding road development priorities for maximum impact on national job creation and poverty alleviation.

Speaking during a meeting with the World Bank team at his Hill Station Lodge Tuesday 16th March 2004, President Kabbah first highlighted the European Union's (EU) financial assistance in constructing the Bo-Masiaka and the Rogbere-Pamelap Highways, including the Arab Bank for African Development's (BADEA) recent provision of a USD 6m loan for the construction of a 4-kilometre Hillside By-pass road linking Pademba Road, Berry Street, Mount Aureol and Ashobi Corner in Kissy. He indicated that the rest of the money required for the hillside road project would come from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries Oil (OPEC) fund.

The construction of the Hillside By-pass road is critical to the reduction of the perennial traffic congestion along Kissy Road and Fourah Bay Road and facilitating a short cut link between the west and east end of Freetown.

Regarding the eastern provincial road links, President Kabbah emphasised the need to improve on the roads in that region since it is the bread basket of the country, accounting for most of the nation's export crops, precious minerals and timber. He disclosed that constructing the main trunk road from Kenema town leading to Daru and on to Koindu in the Kailahun district was as high on government's list of priorities as the Kambia - Kamakwie road link.

The Head of State referred to the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) initiative, which laid emphasis on the promotion of trade and other relations among African countries, and opined that no sustainable regional trade could go on without proper roads and ancillary infrastructure. President Kabbah went on to explain why government had put on hold the proposed increase in contributions to the road fund, noting his desire not to put any more burden on the people, a large number of whom still remained unemployed." The roads are in a very bad state", he said, "and if there was going to be any increase it must come at a time when some improvement would have been done to the roads".

Also speaking in an interview that followed the briefing, Director General of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) Mr. Ishmael Kebbay disclosed that sensitisation of hillside residents was already underway ahead of the commencement of the four-lane road construction project. He said some USD2.4m would be earmarked for the relocation of hundreds of residents who would be displaced as a result of the new road development scheme.