December 8, 2021
Albert Baron Ansu
Farm to market road connectivity is in the core combination of the requirement of food security. By now those who are predisposed to knowing the truth can say that tangible investment in growing food especially rice is unfolding in the countryside and the challenge that is noted in most areas is the issue of the human and material resource to harvest. Even crucial is the bad road connectivity to economically viable areas.
Our attention has been drawn to the Tomabum, Manokoriganya route that is in a very bad form consequently limiting the agro-economic potential of that area linking chiefdoms namely: Bum, Nogorbabulum. It even connects districts, Pujehun and Bonthe.
So one can figure out the cost benefit of upgrading this road and arrive at the conclusion that the mid and long benefit supersedes what might be invested. For its improvement addresses vast human needs in building resilence and economic self-sufficiency to those of our compatriots whose mainstay of livelihood is agriculture and marketing. When that road is prioritized it is fact that trade fair is going to boom with opportunities for other citizens and residents from places like Bo, Kenema and even Makeni, Portloko and even Freetown to take adavantage in exchange goods.
The prioritizing of Tomabum Manokoriganya road is therefore strategic to socio-economic revitalization. And the Roads Funds and Sierra Leone Roads Authority must be interested in this. The Roads Funds has proven its relevance and capability to meet such a viable people centered project. At the recent Ministry of Information Retreat, the Road Fund guys made and impressive presentation highlighting what they have achieved in alignment to the President’s manifesto commitment.
I will pick out few things from the presentation of Roads Fund Mohamed Kallon- CEO MAINTANIANCE OF ALL ROAD NETWORK…. He spoke about the repayment of 106 Million Leones debt inherited from the past government. They have attended to two thousand plus roads including 150 culverts and 25 bridges. They have worked on 1832 feeder roads. They have built the capacity of local councils engineers and provided them 22 motorbikes. They have developed service charter for these local council engineers and even supported SLRA with Land Cruiser for technical coordination. They have been road markings of major trunk roads and maintenance of bridges.
So the snippets of details can tell us that the Road Fund is living up to its mandate and they have a lot of good plans in the coming year such as overhead bridges at strategic locations in the urban area and establishing depots along major roads to respond to road incidents.
With the confidence we have in the Road Fund agency, we can be rest assured that Tomabum Manokorganya road will catch their attention in the coming year.
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