Sierra leone: Manowa Town, Kailahun District: President Julius Maada Bio has commissioned the Manowa Bridge over the Moa River in Peje Bongre Chiefdom, Kailahun District, marking significant progress in the government’s efforts to improve connectivity, expand trade, and accelerate socio-economic development in eastern Sierra Leone. Built under the World Bank-supported Smallholder Commercialisation and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP), the bridge will provide safe, reliable access for surrounding communities for generations.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, the new two-lane bridge replaces one of Sierra Leone’s long-standing ferry crossings and is expected to strengthen links between Peje Bongre and Upper Bambara Chiefdoms. It will improve access across Kpeje West, Upper Bambara, Penguia, and Luawa Chiefdoms, cut travel time and transport costs, and support smoother movement of agricultural produce from the eastern region, creating new opportunities for farmers and traders.
Addressing the commissioning ceremony, President Bio reflected on the hardship faced by residents of Manowa, Pendembu, and nearby communities due to poor transport infrastructure. He noted that since independence in 1961, communities on both sides of the river had relied on a manual cable ferry that often restricted access to markets, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity.
President Bio emphasized that the new bridge would directly improve daily life for residents, especially mothers seeking urgent care and farmers transporting produce to market. The project reflects a deliberate government policy aimed at connecting isolated communities and investing in infrastructure that improves citizens’ lives.
He also recalled that in 2020, the Government secured a US$30 million World Bank grant to replace seven manual ferry crossings nationwide with modern bridges. He announced that four of those bridges – Manowa, Mattru-Senehun, Gendema, and Tomparie – have now been completed.
First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio described the bridge as further proof of the President’s commitment to national development and inclusive growth. She praised government efforts to replace outdated ferry crossings across the country, noting that such investments improve the lives of ordinary citizens, especially farmers and rural communities.
World Bank Country Manager Abdu Muwonge reaffirmed the institution’s support for President Bio’s Big Five Game Changers. He noted that with the completion of this bridge, farmers in the region are expected to generate an estimated annual agricultural turnover of over US$7 million. The bridge will reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access within Sierra Leone and neighboring Guinea, and strengthen trade and connectivity across the region.