The Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) on Saturday, September 17, 2022 held a pre-bid meeting and site visit with construction firms that intend to bid for the reconstruction of the Kailahun - Buedu Road.
The purpose of the meeting was to enable intended bidders to have a proper understanding of the key requirements in the bid process, view the topography of the project site, and to better understand the nature and scope of works before they submit their bids.
Explaining the purpose of the visit to stakeholders of Kailahun District,the Director General of SLRA, Ing. Amara Jambai Kanneh, disclosed that Government will soon start the construction of the Kailahun-Buedu Road.
Ing. Kanneh said," the Government of President Julius Maada Bio has done very well to complete the construction of the Pendembu - Kailahun Road, and that the next target is the Kailahun - Koindu road."
He explained that the bid for the reconstruction of Kailahun - Buedu Road was announced on August 31, 2022, and that the SLRA was in the district with some of the firms that intend to bid for the contract to better assess the terrain and be guided on the nature of works before they can submit their bids.
He told stakeholders that SLRA and partners will do the needful to ensure that the successful bidder does very good work that will last longer.
The Member of Parliament for Constituency 001, Honourable Sarty Banya, expressed delight for knowing that the preparations for the road works were at an advanced stage and pleaded with SLRA to encourage the successfull contractor to employ the skilled youths in the district during the project implementation.
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Other stakeholders, which included Chiefs, Wemen's Leaders and the Chairman for Bike Riders Union lamented on the struggles that they encounter anytime they travel on that route, but expressed delight that those struggles will be over when the road shall have been constructed.
The Board Chairman of SLRA, Mr. Joseph Samba Kaifala, encouraged the people of Kailahun to be patient because development processes are mostly done according to standard procedures.
He advised the youths of Kailahun District to support development projects instead of engaging in activities that may hinder them.
After the courtesy meeting in Kailahun Town, the SLRA team led interested bidders on a guided tour along the entire stretch of the Kailahun - Buedu Road, and responded to questions and clarifications sought by them.
The Kailahun - Buedu Road is Lot 1 of the Kailahun - Koindu - Guinea Border Road Project that is jointly funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Sierra Leone.
So far, eleven construction firms have collected the bid documents for the works contract. All interested bidders are expected to submit their bids on or before October 13, 2022. The successful bidder will be announced in November 2022, and the actual road works will start in the first quarter of 2023.
The construction of the road is expected to be completed in 24 months with 12 months defect liability period.
