Parliament caution roads SLRA & Sub-contractors

Parliament on Monday 13th June this year organized a Joint Committee meeting between the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Works, Housing and Infrastructure and Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) at the New Administrative Building Tower Hill, in Freetown.  (Photo: Co-Chairman Hon. Aaron A. Koroma center, Hon. Kombor Kamara Chairman Works, and Deputy Hon. Tamba E. Ebba& Members  )

The meeting which was Chaired by Hon. Kombor Kamara of Constituency 056 Lokomasama in Port Loko District and Co-Chairman who is currently Acting Chairman on Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Agriculture Hon. Aaron ArunaKoroma of Yoni Chiefdom of Constituency 062 in Tonkolili District which was centereddiscussion to better understand from various questers of constrictors on the ongoing status report of roads in line with Rehabilitation and Community Based Poverty Reduction Project (RCPRP), National program Coordination Unit (NPCU) and Feeder Roads Rehabilitations at Kalahun, Kono, Kenema, and KoinaduguDistract for 2009 to 2016.

In his opening remarks, Acting Chairman on Agriculture Hon. Aaron A. Koroma noted that the joint Committee meeting is left with them as Members of Parliament (PM’s) especially Members of the Committee on  Agriculture which according to him they have a direct supervisory role and holistic approach with clear mandate to monitor Ministers as well as sectors items of roads.

Hon. Aaron Koroma said the joint Committee which has the expertise especially Committee on Works items of supervising to ensure proper roads work done for national development will be critically ensure those fund that were funded at the various roads were properly utilized for their intended purpose.

He added that there is also an adversary Committee in Parliament gears towards all roads maintenance, construction as well as rehabilitation are satisfy meat with the required standards before they could laid such report in the Well of Parliament for debates for the betterment of the country.

He went on to say that as Members of Parliament (MP.s) are in any way trying to intimidate or whit hunting body but to conduct Oversight on what is meant for the benefit of the nation in order to ascertain what ever that been presented before them are true regarding their various contracts.

He further encourages the representatives to be fully cooperate in ensuring that whatever they present and say will be true that be significant to use against them and that those projects awarded by government is those that are meant to enhance to promote the agenda for prosperity.

Chairman Hon. Kombor Kamara on Works descried the meeting as unique and special than any other meetings.

He cautions the representative that whatever they will be used as evidence against them.

Hon. Kombo Kamara went further requesting from the representatives to furnish the Committee with all relevant documents including the status scope of each roads work in order to better understand and be efficient and effective to perform their work, while Clerk of Committee Augustine A. Sesay and Kokofela administered the Oath for affirmation.

Representing the permanent secretary from the MPCU noted that they started the wok since in 2009 in Kono, and some other part of the country and later extended the project to Kenema and Kailahun as well as in Kabala District.

He said they also added an extension of their work adding that they had been able to do extra work 7.7 Km roads in Fadugu in the consortium along some of its surroundings.

He said they are also doing another road that been awarded to another construction company called Aosome construction company Limited as vehicles are presently ploughing to transport goods 33 pipe culverts as well as contract tracking.

That Mac Too construction has also been doing massive roads work expressing challenges of the climate change and the topography that affects their work.

He also added that the extension of the roads work in Kenema, Kailahun and Kono he said over Fifty percent had so far been achieved.

Project engineer in the IFED funded project said he is the capacity to define the percentage of roads completion. As Heifi and Makakura roads were also been terminated said

In their contributions Hon. Rosaline J. K. Smith pointed out the as the presenter failed to mentioned the terminated roads were not found in the report as well as no percentage were found in order to substantiate the report as she observed.

Hon. Dickson Rogers of Constituency 089 in Pujehun District wanted to the total cost been awarded to each contractors as well as pay of the terminated contractors.

The representative from the Rural and Private Sector James Foh said each terminated contract must have finished at list Sixty percent of work done.

He said the issue of machinery is a huge challenge to maintaining the roads from been dilapidated.

Chairman Hon. Kombor Kamara further noted that there should be proper assessment of each contractors before awarded to any contractors.

He also wanted to know at what time did the assessment took place before termination as according to the representative said they were able to visit five times which was unsatisfactory as they were able to negotiate with understanding to the new contractor.

Hon. Daniel Koroma expressed his dissatisfaction that nothing was maintained of Makakura in the presentation as according to the report his is the third contractor been awarded the Makakura feeder roads.

He also noted that the presenter has totally misleading and impeach the work of the Committee adding that all that had been said on the construction of works is a total misleading and in total collapse.

He also stated that there is also an attempt of omission of the Makakura work.

Project Manager said that eight culverts have been damaged as it is a complete wastage in the side of government as they were using substandard materials.

The Committee also said why the contractors fail to use the require materials to meet the challenges to the joints roads to meet with best standards.

Hon. Mohamed Mansaray for Constituency 047 in Koinadugu District expressed his appreciation to IFAD for been awarded tow (2) projects that had been constructed in his Constituency which hey have done extremely well including the bridges as he also commended the contractor.

Hon. Sheku Sannoh for Constituency 112 in Western Area also in supportive the fact that all that been said by the presenter was a deliberate considering elements of defect liability effects including topo graph, climate change, as well as weather climate and the soil texture without proper assessment of awarding contract as it involved government funds.

Hon. Amine also noted that since the design was poor and that he had been expecting to have provided sustainable solution in order to prevent wastages of government resources before may have commenced work.

On their part the construction company Managing Director of Brothers & Friends (B & F) construction company Ltd who is currently undertaken 18 Meter bridge linking six communities at Fadugu Amputee environs funded by IFAD was commended and praised by the Committee for a job well done.

Main while, discrepancies were also been dissolved on the signing of the amount regarding the project which project Manager Mohamed Alieu Sesay signed the sum of …… for rehabilitation and feeder roads in Kamasapie.

He said he only rehabilitant 6 culverts, and 6 roads.

Other constructions were also faces the Committee including Awesome Consortium Construction Ltd Managing Director Mohamed Alieu Sesay, Musra construction company Managing Director Ibrahim Sorie and as according to Committee also discover that the sum of 1.4 billion had been wasted planning to ordered the refunded monies from government.

Tesslime Shellon project engineer International fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Mr. James Foh. Senior procurement officer

By: Mohamed Y. Turay

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