By Alusine Sesay
The Minister of Education and Civic Education, Chernoh Bah, has disclosed to newsmen that government, after careful consideration and in consultation with the China Railway Seventh Group(CRSG), has decided to increase the toll gate fees at the Wellington-Masiaka highway.
The increment will take effect from March 1st,this year.
The payment of toll gate fees was introduced in 2017 after the Government of Sierra Leone entered into a Finance, Design, Construct, Operate, Maintain and Transfer agreement with one of the biggest Chinese construction companies,CRSG, to construct and manage the wellington Masiaka highway for 25 years.
The road from Wellington to Masiaka is about 67km long and it serves as the main route linking the provinces and the capital, Freetown and this project falls within Pillar Four of the Government’s Agenda for Prosperity.”
The cost for the rehabilitation of the road was estimated at 153 United States Dollars.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the ministry’s conference room, the Minister of Information noted that the Chinese company was running at loss because there has not been increment in the toll fees since inception and that there has been a dire need for increment.
The minister couldn’t disclose as to how the increment would be spread per vehicles, but promised to do so today at the government weekly press briefing.
