Post a comment 
A critical road maintenance project at the Upgun roundabout in eastern Freetown has been abandoned by the contractor, Hals Construction and General Services, despite the firm receiving a 30% upfront payment from the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA).
An audit investigation into the project has exposed significant lapses in the SLRA’s contract management and procurement oversight. The report reveals that the Authority disbursed NLe 84,099 (approximately $15,727) to the contractor in December 2024 to facilitate urgent repairs. However, auditors found that “no significant maintenance activity” was ever undertaken at the site.
The project was designed to improve alternate routes for heavy vehicles along the Kissy Byepass Road, a key commercial artery notorious for chronic traffic congestion.
According to the audit, not only did the contractor vacate the site, but the bank guarantee aimed at protecting public funds has also expired. This leaves the SLRA without immediate financial recourse to recover the advance payment. The report states bluntly that “the contractor abandoned the project,” noting that 70% of the allocated funds remain unused while the work remains undone.
The failure has highlighted systemic weaknesses in the enforcement of performance guarantees within the public infrastructure sector. The Auditor General has recommended that the SLRA take immediate steps to “ensure the recovery of the advance payment from the defaulting contractor.”
Furthermore, the audit urged the Authority to ensure the outstanding work is completed “urgently to prevent further congestion and road deterioration.”
For residents and traders in eastern Freetown, the stalled project ensures the continuation of severe traffic bottlenecks.
The Upgun roundabout is a strategic intersection, and the lack of maintenance is expected to exacerbate logistics costs and economic inefficiencies in the capital.
