Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio has accused the previous Ernest Bai Koroma’s All People’s Congress (APC) led government of squandering the fund the European Union gave to them in 2015 to construct the Magbele Bridge.

President Bio made the assertion while commissioning the 48 Million Euros two-lane flyover along the Masiaka-Rogbere Junction Highway on Saturday.

President Julius Maada Bio in his speech said that, “In 2015, the EU gave the previous Government money to construct this Magbele Bridge. After two years, they did nothing and the EU cancelled the contract. As you have heard from other people, the EU even had to pay them $350,000 USD for doing nothing. That is over Le4 billion for doing nothing. No bridge.”

He noted that in less than four years alone his government, with their EU partners has constructed the 163-meter-long modern two-lane bridge in Port Loko District that the previous government failed to do.

Bio further noted that, “In less than 4 years, we are constructing a $270 million USD airport terminal at Lungi, Port Loko District even when the other people wanted to move the airport away from Lungi.”

“In less than 4 years, we are reconstructing and modernising the Tagrin ferry terminal and working on bridging four new ferries. In less than four years, we have reopened the iron-ore mines at Marampa, expanded its operations, and created more jobs for our people in Port Loko District,” he said.

The President also recalled the billions of Leones invested in refurbishing the Port Loko Government hospital with a functional ambulance service and medical facilities that provided regular supplies of drugs, adding that Community Health Care Centres now had access to solar electricity after the government hired more nurses and midwives specifically for Port Loko District.

“Fewer mothers are now dying in childbirth and fewer children under five are now dying as there is better immunisation and primary health care. Our friends in the UAE have also invested in constructing a major health facility. In just four years, my government thought it fit to bring in agricultural investors to consider rice production in the Rombeh area. There is an investment in onion and vegetable production in Port Loko District.

“Add this to electricity access [solar] in Lokomasama and other places in just four years, my government – I personally came to Lokomasama in 2019 to switch on the lights. So, in just four years, my government has invested extensively in Port Loko District by all accounts,” he said.

Director General of Sierra Leone Roads Authority, Ing. Amara Kanneh, said the bridge was constructed with funds from the European Union, EU, under the supervision of the National Authorising Office (NAO) in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, saying that the two-lane bridge would replace the dilapidated one lane.

He further stated that the bridge was 7.2 meters on each side with a footpath of 5 meters as opposed to the old one that had no footpath, noting that the load-bearing capacity of the bridge was guaranteed.

“This bridge will stand the test of time, and if preventive measures are observed and maintained, it will serve for more than 100 years. Thank you very much President Julius Maada Bio for providing the requisite leadership. Thank you, the EU,” he concluded.

EU Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Manuel Müller, said he was happy that the bridge, which project they funded was being commissioned by the President of the country, adding that the construction of the New Magbele bridge started in March 2018 as part of the package of roads infrastructure projects Sierra Leone and the EU intended to round up before the 2023 rainy season.

He further noted that they had a long and strong relationship with Sierra Leone and with a track record of working together in education, governance, decentralisation, agriculture, environment, rural electrification and the management of public finances. He said that the EU would continue to work with the country to achieve its development agendas.

“What we are witnessing here today at Magbele, also, is part of a huge programme of building bridges between nations. The cooperation of the EU and Sierra Leone has contributed to more connectivity in the sub-region,” he concluded.