By: Ahmed Mohamed Kaikai-Pujehun
Some aggrieved people in Weikada, Wonde and Jendema town in Sorogbema chiefdom Pujehun have halted the operations of the Senegalese construction company, Compagnie Sahelienne d’Entreprise (CSE), along the Weikada forest on the Bandajuma-Jendema highway in its is ongoing construction over the years.
On Monday February 14th, 2022 dozens of people who claimed to be owners of buildings, borrow pits and plantations that were demolished by CSE in their quest to construct the main road linking Sierra Leone and Liberia on the southern axis, rushed to Weikada forest as they stopped CSE from doing their road construction work.
Bobbie Koroma, Chairman of Jendema Traders Union confirmed to VOM that they went to the Weikanda forest to stop CSE workers from doing their job owning to the fact that they haven’t received their own compensation money from Sierra Leone Road Authority(SLRA).
“We are here this afternoon to stop CSE workers from doing their job. They are about to finish this international road without getting our compensation money from SLRA.
If we allow them to finish this road we won’t get our compensation.
In Kpejeh chiefdom and other places, SLRA compensate affected persons prior to the destruction of their buildings, borrow pits and plantations. But they don’t want to pay us in Sorogbema. The remaining work on this road is less than two mile. They have recorded our names nearly two years now but they didn’t tell us the cost for the things CSE destroyed. We will continue to resist them until we get our compensation.” He explained.
Suliman Conteh, the Environment, Health and Safety Officer of CSE disclosed that the position of the affected persons in Sorogbema is clear stating that they are supposed to benefit from SLRA compensation for the destruction of their structures, borrow pit and plantations along the alignment of the road.
“Affected persons started resisting us from doing our work in November 2021. This was the time CSE realized that SLRA haven’t compensated people in some communities in Sorogbema. Anytime we want to start work in a particular locality we will inform SLRA and they will in response give us clearance to go ahead, because we knew we will be destroying some structures and plantations. We have engaged SLRA about the compensation and the said they have engaged Finance Ministry for the compensation payment.” He noted.
On his part, Issa M. Kanneh, Site Engineer SLRA revealed that SLRA have taken record of all affected persons to benefit from the compensation.
“SLRA is responsible for the payment of compensation for demolished structures on the right of way which he said is 30 meter from the main road. SLRA have done payment in many communities with the exception of few people in Sorogbema. Once the compensation money is disbursed by Finance Ministry we will effect the payment of compensation to affected persons.” He said.
Augustine Jah Zoker, Chiefdom Speaker of Sorogbema chiefdom revealed that the authorities are knowledgeable about the compensation problem between SLRA and the community people nothing that SLRA have taken pictures and record of facilities that were destroyed by CSE for the construction of the Bandajuma-Jendema road.
He, however, observed it was not clear how much SLRA cost or value each of the structures or plantations that we’re destroyed.
“We want development but people who are supposed to be compensated as a result of such development should benefit as well,” he ended.