By Charles Mkoka
The Chief Executive Officer of the Sierra Leone Road Maintenance Fund, Mr. Mohamed Kallon, has commended the Government of Tanzania, through the Rural and Urban Roads Agency (Tarura), for its innovative use of stone in constructing roads and bridges.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Kallon expressed his admiration for the technology, which significantly reduces construction costs by utilizing locally available materials. He emphasized that their visit to Tanzania aimed to learn about district road construction and maintenance, focusing on planning, community involvement, and alternative technologies.
“Our people in Sierra Leone are mainly farmers, and many live in rural areas. By adopting this stone technology, it will make it easier to transport their produce from farms to markets,” Kallon stated.
He further highlighted that one of the president’s top five priorities is achieving food security, and improving road access is crucial for transporting agricultural products to markets. Kallon also noted that Tanzania’s use of community groups in road maintenance projects was a key area of interest for Sierra Leone, as they do not yet employ such methods. However, TARURA has seen success in this approach across various districts.
Tarura Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Victor Seff, explained that using locally sourced materials such as stone in road and bridge construction has reduced costs by over 40%. Regarding the involvement of community groups in road construction and maintenance, Engineer Seff emphasized the success of a rural roads improvement project, supported by a World Bank loan, which helps establish, train, and empower community groups to undertake road maintenance professionally and effectively.
“The major benefit of using these groups is the reduced cost, as they are based in the areas where the roads are constructed. It also ensures that the infrastructure is well-maintained since the community recognizes the roads as their asset,” Seff added.
He also expressed Tarura’s willingness to collaborate with Sierra Leone by providing expertise and training whenever needed.
The Sierra Leone delegation, consisting of leaders and experts, is in Tanzania to study district road construction and maintenance. It will focus on planning, community engagement, and alternative technologies. During its stay, the team plans to visit several community groups in the Njombe region.