Samuel Kallon 
By Ragan M. Conteh
The Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA), during an auspicious ceremony, has given money as compensation to at least seventy (70) residents of Songo at a road affected land areas.
The ceremony took place on Wednesday 9th October, 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 shown by the affected property owners.
Ing. French informed that the road is a 14 kilometers stretch and is going to be tarred with a two-lane corridor.
Deputy Director emphasized the importance of the road when completed to the community and the country.
Expressing his delight, Paramount Chief of Koya Chieffdom, PC Kompa Bomboli the lll, said he was 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 recipients to make good use of the money given to them.
He assured the government and SLRA that he’d do everything humanly possible to ensuring that materials meant for the road construction are protected to the fullest.
On his part the Honorable 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 pits, economic trees, lands and other valuable properties were being used by SLRA. They were asked to judiciously use the money paid them.
A representative of Audit Service Sierra Leone said that their presence during the compensation ceremony meant to ensure the right beneficiaries get what is due them.
He called on the people of Songo to own the project, adding that the road would not only benefit them the villagers 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 it logical completion.
Other speakers who made meaningful contributions during the compensation ceremony include, representatives from the Anti-Corruption Commission, Infrastructure for Development, 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.
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 is promised to be paid to the remaining beneficiaries.
A total of NLe 2.5 million was paid to affected property owners, the entire project costs NLe4.3 million, and is funded by the European Union and government of Sierra Leone.
