TRANSCO CLSG begins disbursing funds to compensate PAPs

Makeni, SL, February 2, 2018: Abu Bakary Conteh, a resident of the Bombali District is 105-year-old and he sat patiently awaiting his turn in a packed hall to be financially compensated for his farmland that falls within the corridors of the transmission line and substations under the CLSG project.

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Oldman Conteh was among the first batch of 90 project affected persons who were compensated for losing their farmlands and other properties. With smile, the oldest beneficiary received his check (amount not disclosed for this story) from the hands of Madam Marie Chantel Niambi-Akra, TRANSCO CLSG Social Safeguard Specialist.

The PAPs were compensated for losing their lands under the transmission line Right Of Way of the CLSG project. Those compensated were mostly farmers who have properties within 52km of the transmission line corridor starting from Kakitorie village in the Safroko Chiefdom to Kadala Village in Biriwa Chiefdom, all of which are in the Bombali District. TRANSCO CLSG will also compensate landowners for the three substations at Bumbuna, Bikongor and Kenema.

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The symbolic handing over of the construction sites was performed by the Paramount Chiefs representing their Districts to TRANSCO CLSG represented by its General Manager, Mohammed M. Sherif. In turning over the sites, the elated Chiefs assured TRANSCO CLSG of the full commitment to the successful implementation of the CLSG project.

The ceremony was held in the presence of senior Government officials of the Sierra Leone, including the Permanent Secretary of Energy, Mrs Zainab Buya-Kamara, who chaired the formal launching ceremony of the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), Senior Management of TRANSCO CLSG and stakeholders including paramount and town chiefs from the nearby affected districts.

General Manager Sherif provided project updates in his statement and added that all the PAPs were validated by independent consultants that were hired by TRANSCO CLSG. “They have given their consents for TRANSCO CLSG to proceed with the compensation of the agreed amounts.” Mr. Sherif continued that “this phase of the compensation process will allow us to meet our target of turning over the sites to the EPC contractors to commence work immediately.”

Mr. Sherif thanked the government and people of Sierra Leone, particularly the Paramount Chiefs, for paving the road to advance the CLSG project implementation. “We count on your usual supports to ensure the security of the project so that our contractors will be free to work for the benefit of all.”