By Alfred Peter Conteh

Residents of Shenge in Kagboro Chiefdom, Moyamba District, have once again renewed calls on the government of President Julius Maada Bio to fulfill his longstanding promise to rehabilitate the Shenge Moyamba Road, a vital route linking their community to the rest of the district.

A high powered delegation of Kagboro stakeholders recently met with the Director General of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA), Mr. Alfred Jalil Momodu, at his Freetown office to discuss the status of the stalled project.

During the meeting, long serving Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, expressed deep frustration over what she described as “decades of broken promises.” She lamented that despite her consistent advocacy since 2002, successive governments have failed to deliver tangible progress.

“My constituents are constantly on my back about this road,” Hon. Sesay said. “Some criticize me, others support my advocacy, but the truth remains nothing substantial has been done to ease their suffering.”

Two community representatives, Muniru Salifu Will, Secretary General of the Kagboro Descendants Association, and Amadu Juldeh Jalloh, joined the lawmaker in pressing the SLRA boss for answers on the persistent delays.

In his response, Director General Momodu clarified that the project was initially designed only for re-graveling, not tarring, which meant that the SLRA was not obliged to conduct extensive stakeholder consultations before implementation. He further disclosed that work had been suspended due to funding constraints, as the government is currently prioritizing other road projects nationwide.

This revelation has reignited frustration among residents, who feel increasingly marginalized despite their unwavering political loyalty to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

Hon. Kadie Sesay, however, assured the delegation that she would continue to champion their cause. She pledged to engage the Office of the Chief Minister, the Ministry of Development, and ultimately the Vice President’s Office to ensure that President Bio’s campaign promise to rehabilitate the Shenge Moyamba Road is finally realized.

For the people of Kagboro Chiefdom, this struggle transcends politics it is about dignity, accessibility, and inclusion. Despite being one of the SLPP’s most loyal constituencies since the return to multiparty democracy in 1996, residents feel forgotten and deprived of the development dividends they were promised.

Their collective message to the government is clear and emphatic

“PAOPA, make Shenge Road!”