Road infrastructure versus the wellbeing of the masses

We can recall clearly that when President Koroma was sworn into office following his election victory in 2007, he pronounced as his key priorities tangible improvement in agriculture, electrification of the capital, Freetown, massive development in infrastructure and later expansion in health and sanitation.

These projects embodied his now famous agenda for change concept. Thus, the President set himself to achieving these objectives because he believes Sierra Leone through the support of the donor community would make a difference under his regime.

Before him, there was this promise of Sierra Leone being food self-sufficient by 2007. That never happened, instead the country experienced severe food crisis with many families unable to afford a day’s meal.

Access to health facilities was beyond the reach of ordinary Sierra Leoneans. Medical doctors used to charge killer fees for consultations which the poor couldn’t afford. Infant mortality was at its highest.

At the same time Sierra Leone was referred to as the darkest in the sub-region with the perennial shortage of power supply, especially in the capital.

Similarly, road infrastructure was only receiving light-hearted attention. The past government tried its beat but the rebel war disrupted progress towards any meaningful infrastructural development

It was against this backdrop that in coming into office President Koroma set for himself the agenda for change with a view to turning things around in the aforementioned areas.

So when the idea of the president making roads infrastructure one of his key priorities in order to open up the country’s road network, it came as a relief to many as roads represented the country’s development profile.

However, it is now slowly dawning on the populace that the president’s agenda for change with regards roads expansion is proving to be counter-productive insofar as the wellbeing of the people is concerned.

While civil servants go home without decent pay packages including contractors who remain unpaid after they have delivered or performed one service or the other, government continues to divert the little revenue accrued from taxes to road infrastructure.

This government had told its workers times without number that it will increase their salaries and make life better for them. So far it is to the contrary, four years into their regime.

Instead, life has become unbearable for the average worker.

In certain government ministries or departments, there is not a single piece of A4 paper to write on. When one enquires, the answer is there is no money to purchase one.

As a matter of fact, this medium has learnt that funding for other development projects has been halted as the country’s internal revenue is said to be directed largely to road construction around the country.

In Freetown alone, we are told that there are more than thirty roads to be rehabilitated. The same is said for the regions. Funds for these roads are to be generated from our taxes. But even this is not enough to do the construction work. Roads such as the Congo Cross-Wilkinson Road axis, Spur Road and other inter-city roads are said to be funded from revenue generated internally.

In the meantime, work on roads such as the Hillside by-pass road, the Tokeh-Lumley road, the Freetown-Conakry highway, the Kenema-Koindu road and a host of others are yet to kick-off or be fully completed. These roads are to be completed with funds from the donor community.

Government, we are told, is determined to complete these roads by 2012. Whether they will succeed or not is a different story altogether.

However, given the circumstances, people are wondering if road construction supersedes the survival of the people. If there are no roads people can’t eat?

What an agenda!

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