Sierra Leone signs contracts for four major climate-resilient bridges

The Government of Sierra Leone has signed contracts for the construction of four major climate-resilient bridges as part of the US$74 million Sierra Leone Connectivity and Agricultural Market Infrastructure Project (SL-CAMIP). Funded by a World Bank International Development Association grant, the initiative aims to replace unsafe hand-pulled ferries and dugout canoes with permanent structures.

Two international contractors have been awarded the projects. Matiere and Secon JV will construct bridges at Komrabai in the Tonkolili District and Kabba in the Karene District. China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) will build bridges at Sumbuya in the Bo District and Moselolo in the Moyamba District. The bridges, featuring spans between 130 and 215 meters, are designed to withstand heavy rainfall and flooding.

Minister of Transport and Aviation, Ambassador Col. (Rtd) Alhaji Fanday Turay, stated that the project is a critical step toward improving all-season connectivity, ensuring food security, and increasing local incomes. The project seeks to connect rural farming communities to markets, schools, and health facilities, addressing the fact that only one-third of rural Sierra Leoneans currently have access to all-season roads.