Sierra Leone’s government last Friday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with China Road and Bridge Corporation and the architectural firm of the Atepa Group for the construction of a 5-mile-long bridge across Freetown to Lungi at a cost of $1.5 billion.
China Road and Bridge Corporation is one of the world’s major engineering and construction organizations, with operations in more than 50 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It is ranked 61st on the Fortune 500 list.
The Atépa Group, which includes the architectural firm, is responsible for several internationally known projects, including the Banjul Airport in Gambia, the BCEAO offices in Dakar, Senegal, the ECOWAS Fund headquarters in Lomé, Togo, and the Monument of the Renaissance in Dakar. It has offices in numerous African and Asian countries.
However, severe questions have been raised regarding the validity of the memorandum, which critics claim has not been examined or authorized by parliament, nor has the government revealed the agreement’s terms.
This announcement comes amid growing concern in the country about rising living costs, rising poverty, a lack of safe, clean drinking water, and poor access to reliable electricity, which many in Sierra Leone believe should be a government priority rather than a $1.5 billion Chinese bridge.
The statement has also sparked criticism from critics who claim that the government is taking advantage of the current political uncertainty caused by its conflict with the main opposition APC to introduce ideas and policies through the backdoor without public or legislative scrutiny and accountability.
The proposed bridge, which President Bio promised five years ago, will connect Freetown to the country’s international airport in Lungi, Port Loko region.
A considerably lower-cost sustainable alternative that the government refuses to consider is the construction of a roadway from Lungi, Port Loko, to Freetown, which may create a higher level of local economic growth than a bridge across to Lungi.
According to the government, a feasibility study for the bridge will be finished in the coming months, and building will begin next year, with completion scheduled for 2027 by the China Road and Bridge Corporation and the Atépa Group.
