On Tuesday 14th May, 2024 the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) commissioned a market at Zion, Kola Town, Upper Allen Town in Freetown; and presented a cheque of one billion and fifty thousand old Leones for the Community Development Fund (CDF) at the company’s office conference hall in Songo. The Honourable Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh is his keynote address articulated that the initiative for the construction of the market emanated from some community stakeholders who appealed with him to construct a market for the Zion community in Kola Tree during a courtesy visit to his office in 2023. Vice President Jalloh explained about his engagement with the CRSG leadership for the construction of the market that he was in the community to commission and handover to the community stakeholders. He attributed the market construction to one of the series of work undertaken by President Julius Maada Bio in Sierra Leone.
Vice President Jalloh in his response to the request for a police station by the community representative who spoke at the ceremony, said that a police station will be built in the community, stressing that people will soon be in the community to identify the location for the construction of the police post. The Honourable Vice President stated that the construction of the police post is to maintain law and order in the community. He called on community members to arrest anyone found selling kush in the community and handover such person to the police. He gave hope to the people for the construction of the main road leading from old road to Zion community in Kola Town.
“I’m personally promising all the women that will be selling in the market micro credit”, he assured. He explained that the reason for the provision of the micro credit is for the women to have additional money to increase on their businesses. He admonished the women to take proper care of the market, noting that the market belongs to the community.
At Songo, the Vice President lauded members of the Sierra Leone Parliament along the Wellington-Masiaka Highway for initiating the establishment of a Community Development Fund (CDF) which saw the payment of the one billion Leones old notes into the Fund by the CRSG construction company. He said the money can be used to support development in communities along the highway. He furthered that the CRSG will continue to contribute money to the Fund on an annual basis.
Vice President Jalloh promised to ensure that all companies operating along the highway including the Special Economic Zone will be encouraged to contribute to the CDF. He stated the money from the Fund will be utilized on development through consensus by members of the communities and Members of Parliament (MPs) representing constituencies along the Wellington-Masiaka Highway. He admonished the MPs to develop a strategy on the utilization of the Fund, noting that the utilization of this first one billion Leones will encourage other companies to contribute to the Fund.
Reverend Joseph Gbewoh, one of the stakeholders who initiated the construction of the Zion market recalled he and other stakeholders visiting Vice President Jalloh on 25th January, 2023 at his Tower Hill Office to appeal for the construction of the market. “You faithfully promised us that you will do all in your power for us to have one, and today it has come to reality. We say thank you”, Rev. Gbewoh averred.
Du Xinguo, Chief Executive Officer of CRSG noted that the commissioning of the market and the presentation of the cheque is about the company’s fulfilling its commitment. He expressed happiness to be part of the development of Sierra Leone. The Programme was climaxed with the presentation of the cheque to the people by Vice President Jalloh.
Credit: By: Aaron Bundu Lahai-Head of Media & Public Relations
