The Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) has, at an aupicious ceremony, paid compensation to seventy (70) Songo Road affected property owners.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at the Songo Court Barray, Koya Chiefdom, Port Loko district.
Speaking during the compensation ceremony, the Deputy Director General of SLRA, Ing. Vandi French, expressed delight for the patience affected property owners have exercised.
Ing. French informed the gathering that the road is a 14-kilometer stretch comprising of two lanes, and it will be overlaid with bitumen.
Deputy Director emphasized the importance of the road when completed.
Expressing his delight, Paramount Chief of Koya Chieffdom, PC Kompa Bomboli lll, said he is grateful to the government of President Julius Maada Bio and SLRA for considering their chiefdom in the area of road construction.
He called on the recipient to make good use of the money given to them.
He assured the government and SLRA that he will do everything humanly possible to ensure that materials meant for the road construction are protected to the fullest.
On his part, the honourable member of Parliament representing Port Loko district, Hon. Abdulai Karim Kanu, thanked SLRA for what he described as a wonderful gesture given to them.
He admonished family members whose borrow pits, economic trees, lands, and other valuable property have been used by SLRA to judiciously use the money.
A representative of Audit Service Sierra Leone said that their presence during the compensation ceremony is to ensure that the right beneficiaries get what is due them.
He called on the people of Songo to own the project, as according to him, the road will not only benefit them but the people of Sierra Leone at large.
A representative from the ministry of finance on behalf of his ministry said their institution is fully committed to supporting the project to its logical completion.
Other speakers who made meaningful contributions during the compensation ceremony include representatives from the Anti-Corruption Commission, Infrastructure for Development, and National Authorizing Office, among others.
Pa Alhassan Kabba, one of the beneficiaries, thanked the government of President Julius Maada Bio and SLRA for compensating them for their lost property.
He promised to use the money judiciously, involving his family members.
Other beneficiaries shared similar sentiments after receiving their cheques.
SLRA is doing its best to ensure that the remaining funds are disbursed by the government, and within the next two weeks, the remaining compensation will be paid to the remaining beneficiaries.
A total of NLe 2.5 million was paid to affected property owners; the entire project costs NLe 4.3 million and is funded by the European Union and the government of Sierra Leone.
