In a press conference held today, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, along with key government officials, provided critical insights into the Rail and Port Agreement recently signed by the Government of Sierra Leone.
Attorney General Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley revealed that the government entered into an agreement with Kingho Rail and Port, which was officially approved by the Cabinet. This decision followed an earlier agreement with Arise, which failed to meet the necessary terms and conditions, leading to its mutual termination.
The satisfaction date for enforcing the Agreement with Arise was set for July 9, 2023, and their inability to comply prompted the new agreement with Kingho to avoid any operational vacuum.
The Minister of Transport and Aviation, Alhaji Fanday Turay, announced plans to establish a specialized Semi-Autonomous Agency responsible for regulating not only railways but also cable cars.
He assured the public that this initiative would lead to job creation and capacity building.
Minister Alhaji Fanday Turay addressed concerns about potential monopolies, emphasizing that Kingho is obligated, by contract, to reserve a minimum of 10% rail capacity for use by other interested parties.
Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Julius Mattai, underscored the importance of Kingho’s investment, which amounted to over $100 million in revamping the Rail and Port infrastructure.
He stressed that the government’s decision was made in the best interest of the country.
It was clarified that the rail at Pepel is primarily designed for cargo carriages and not passenger services.
Despite the change in the rail and port agreement, Arise IIP retains control of the Industrial Zone in Koya, with the government expressing optimism about the realization of that project.
