By Bob Batilo Saffa in Pendembu
Concerns have been expressed that Kailahun town will soon be cut off from the rest of the country. The 25-kilometer road linking the town to Pendembu is said to be in a poor state rendering it almost impassable.
Christiana Baimba, a councillor of Ward 21 in the district who travelled the distance last week to attend district council meeting told Politico in Pendembu that the road was “extraordinarily terrible and a potential death trap for travellers”. The councillor went on that the distance took her three hours. “Motor bikes are the only means now to travel but they are also confronted with many struggle on the road” she said.
However one of the drivers’ union chairmen in Kailahun district, Sheku Kallon told Politico that the road between Pendembu and Daru had caused a huge financial burden on his drivers because of the huge expenditure on vehicle maintenance owing to the poor road condition. He said that all light and heavy duty vehicles could hardly reach Kailahun town.
When asked about the transport cost and how it was affecting prices of food stuff, Kallon said fares had escalated from Le 10,000 to Le 15,000 and assorted commodities like a five-gallon palm oil container was charged Le 7,000 something he said had had a concomitant effect on the prices of foodstuff.
He said that Luawa Ngiehun, Fire Burn and Tugbagae were the major sticking points on the road which he referred to as a death trap.
Meanwhile work is far advanced on the Kenema-Kailahun road funded by the Saudi fund for Development, the Islamic Development Bank, the Opec fund International Development, the Kuwait fund for Area Economic development and the Area Bank for Economic Development in Africa, and the government of Sierra Leone. It is expected to be completed within 36.
(C) Politico 05/09/13
