The Sierra Leone government has confirmed that a number of bridge and road projects in Karene District are on track, with at least two critical bridges set to be completed by the end of 2026. Chernor Bah, Minister of Information and Civic Education, made the announcement on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at the Karene Civic Day Series in Kamakwei, citing Sierra Leone Roads Authority progress reports.
The Lohindi Bridge on the Kalangba-Gbendembu corridor is one of the projects that is nearing completion. Minister Bah stated that the Lohindi structure has been decked and is now in the concrete curing phase, which is required to ensure that the bridge has the necessary structural strength before it is commissioned. Regravelling along the connecting road has also been completed, improving access along a corridor that has emerged as an important alternative route since the Mathehun Bridge collapsed.
The 160-meter Tomparie Bridge, which will replace a long-standing ferry crossing, is said to be about 85 percent complete and should be completed by May 2026. Minister Bah described the Tomparie project as a “major intervention” that will remove a long-standing transportation bottleneck and improve access to Kamakwei and surrounding communities. He also stated that the government, led by President Julius Maada Bio, has secured funding for the construction of 39 bridges across the country, with Tomparie being among the top priorities.
Aside from these immediate projects, the government is moving forward with a major trunk road project: the Kambia-Tomparie-Kamakwei Road, a 105-kilometre corridor designed to improve northwest connectivity. The scheme’s procurement is nearing completion, with construction set to begin after the next rainy season. The project will include full paving, as well as several short-span bridges and culverts to improve drainage and provide all-weather access.
Karene’s additional infrastructure plans include the 250-meter Kabba Ferry Bridge, which is expected to begin construction this year, and the Mathehun Bridge, which will begin construction after the rainy season. Additional bridge construction is planned for Yebele, Batnhoro, and Mabantha between late 2026 and 2027. The government claims that the combined investments will shorten travel times, broaden economic opportunities, and strengthen regional trade and development.
