The second phase in the handing over of sites to local councils for the construction of office buildings has been completed.

The final handing over ceremony in the series that constituted the second phase took place in Magburaka, on Tuesday May 29.

The first phase saw the handing over of sites to five local councils in 2006, while the second phase saw the ceremony been repeated in eight other councils.

The move to facilitate the construction of offices for local councils stems from the desire of the Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project (IRCBP) and the World Bank to improve working conditions for local council employees. In 2004 the World Bank and IRCBP fielded a mission to assess the needs of all 19 local councils in terms of office space and the team came to the conclusion that offices in all the councils should be rehabilitated or rebuilt.

On Monday May 27, the Principal Finance Officer of the IRCBP, Lara Taylor-Pearce, handed sites over to Contractors for offices in Port Loko and Tonkolili District Councils, the last two councils in phase two.

Deputising for the Coordinator of IRCBP Peter Kaindaneh, Lara Taylor-Pearce reiterated the fact that contractors were engaged through a highly transparent process.

In Port Loko, Lara Taylor-Pearce (left), gives salient advice to the lady Contractor, Ishatu Sesay

The conditions in the Public Procurement Act and the Donor Procurement Regulations were observed in giving out the contracts.

George Lamin Vandi, IRCBP Civil Engineer, said that the IRCBP adopted the National Competitive Bidding Process as against the International Competitive Bidding process to give local Construction Firms an opportunity to improve their expertise.

George Vandi who doubles as Project Manager said the current venture represents one more intervention of government to support local councils.

The ultra modern buildings when completed will boast facilities such as a conference hall with the capacity to sit about 500 people, about 16 offices some equipped with kitchenettes, a resource centre and a restaurant.

The office for Makeni City Council which is yet to be completed

The contract for the construction of an office for Port Loko District Council was won by Estu Construction Enterprise. The Managing Director, Ishatu Sesay, is grand daughter of the late Paramount Chief Bai Fonti Ngbanga 11 of Buya Romendi Chiefdom in the Port-Loko District.

She called for 100% support from the people, and expressed her determination to complete the project in less that the agreed period of ten months.  

© Copyright 2005, IRCBP.