The proposed $200,000 investment by the Jagaban Movement to renovate the neglected APC Northern Region Office in Makeni has encountered a series of procedural challenges, according to the movement’s Regional/Bombali District Coordinator, John Musa Koroma.
Koroma, who was directly involved in efforts to facilitate the proposed renovation, has provided further details on the engagements between the Jagaban Movement and members of the APC leadership concerning the planned rehabilitation of the party’s northern regional headquarters.
The proposed investment was intended to support the renovation and improvement of the APC Northern Region Office, which has reportedly remained in a poor state for some time. However, Koroma said efforts to move the project forward were slowed by difficulties in obtaining key project documents and securing the necessary clearance from the party structure.
According to Koroma, the Jagaban Movement first engaged several members of the APC leadership to discuss the proposed renovation. Among those involved were APC Northern Region Chairman Ali Commoner Kargbo, Koinadugu APC Chairman and Bombali Member of Parliament Hon. Peter Yamba Koroma, as well as other party officials.
A major issue that emerged during the engagement, Koroma explained, was access to the Bill of Quantities (BoQ), a key document required to determine the scope and estimated cost of the proposed construction and renovation works.
Koroma said the movement was initially informed that the BoQ was in the possession of APC Bombali Deputy Chairman Emmanuel Ali Kargbo. However, when approached, he allegedly denied having the document and directed the delegation to the party’s Deputy Secretary-General in Bombali.
The attempt to obtain the document from the Deputy Secretary-General, Koroma said, also did not produce the expected result.
With the BoQ still unavailable, the movement was subsequently referred to an engineer in Freetown who was reportedly involved in the technical side of the proposed project.
Koroma said the engineer showed them an architectural plan for the renovation but allegedly declined to provide the movement with a copy of the document.
According to his account, the engineer further alleged that the APC Bombali Deputy Chairman had interfered with or altered aspects of the process surrounding the proposed renovation.
The development reportedly prompted further engagements among stakeholders as efforts continued to clarify the situation and determine how the proposed investment could proceed.
Koroma disclosed that a meeting was subsequently held at the Mayor’s Parlour in Makeni to discuss the matter. Makeni Mayor Abu Bakarr “Lamtale” Kamara was aware of the engagement, according to Koroma.
The Mayor has since confirmed that he was aware of the proposed project and had participated in several meetings relating to the initiative. He acknowledged that a misunderstanding later emerged, affecting the progress of the proposed renovation.
Despite the difficulties encountered in securing the necessary documentation and agreement within the party structure, Koroma said the Jagaban Movement remained interested in seeing the project move forward.
He explained that the movement eventually engaged a contractor identified as “Little John” to conduct a needs assessment of the APC Northern Region Office.
The assessment was expected to provide a clearer understanding of the condition of the facility and the work required to rehabilitate it.
However, Koroma said the process was eventually placed on hold pending clearance from the APC party structure.
The latest account therefore suggests that the proposed $200,000 investment has not necessarily been abandoned, but that its implementation has been affected by disagreements, documentation challenges and the need for further authorization within the party.
The controversy also highlights the importance of clear project ownership, documentation and coordination between political organizations and prospective investors when undertaking major infrastructure projects.
For the Jagaban Movement, the proposed renovation was expected to provide significant support to the APC’s Northern Region operations by improving the condition of its regional office in Makeni.
Koroma’s account offers a detailed explanation of why the proposed investment has yet to translate into visible renovation works at the facility. It also indicates that further discussions and clarification within the APC structure may be required before the project can resume.
As the matter remains subject to internal party clearance, the future of the proposed renovation will depend on whether the outstanding issues surrounding the project documents, technical plans and approval process can be resolved among the stakeholders involved.