By Lemuella Tarawallie
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Sports has engaged officials of the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA) to get updates on the ongoing rehabilitation of the National Stadium and to assess progress made and challenges affecting the completion of the project.
The engagement took place on Tuesday at Parliament’s Administrative Building, Tower Hill, in Freetown.
Opening the meeting the Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Mariatu Rachael Pessima Sesay, welcomed officials from the Ministry of Sports and NSA and stressed the importance of accountability and timely completion of the project. She said the Committee was concerned about delays and the proposal for a partial handover of the facility.
“We call the NSA and the Ministry of Sports to come and give us updates on the status of the stadium because we all know it’s long overdue,” she stated. “Parliament wants to know what is going on, what is happening, and what is the way forward,” she continued and emphasized that Parliament expected a clear roadmap toward full completion of the stadium rather than phased or partial commissioning.
Responding on behalf of the National Sports Authority the Deputy Executive Director, Dr Abdul Rahman Swarray, outlined progress made so far and explained the major challenges affecting completion, particularly the installation of plastic seats required under FIFA and CAF regulations.
Dr Swarray stated that several components of the facility had already been completed, including the swimming pool, basketball court, volleyball court, tennis courts, hostel facilities, restaurant, and practice pitch. According to him, the main delay stemmed from the introduction of new international requirements that were not part of the original agreement with the Chinese Government. “This issue came when FIFA and CAF made it mandatory for stadiums hosting international matches to install individual plastic seats,” he explained. “This was not in the original contract, so we had to go back through diplomatic and technical channels.” The Director Cooperate Operations of the NSA, Alie Sesay, explained that discussions with the Chinese contractors took considerable time due to disagreements on technical design and structural adjustments required for installation.
He noted that the process of agreeing on how the seats would be installed took nearly a year, involving the Ministry of Works and technical experts. He further disclosed that according to the Chinese technical team, the installation of the plastic seats would take approximately 14 months once formal approval and revised budget agreements are concluded.
Alie Sesay said the work was expected to commence around October, with completion projected for December of the following year. “So that is the timeframe they have given us,” he stated, adding: “From October, once the signing is done, it will run through to next year December.”
Mr Sesay further revealed that a high-level meeting was held on 25 May 2026 involving the Ministry of Sports, NSA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Works, and representatives of the Chinese Embassy. He said the meeting resolved to seek presidential intervention to expedite approval from China, proceed with a partial handover of completed facilities on 30 June 2026, and prepare for the next phase of construction. He also confirmed that President Julius Maada Bio had been engaged on the matter to help fast-track diplomatic approval.
Members of the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of a firm completion date for the entire stadium. They insisted that since Parliament approved the rehabilitation grant, they must be fully informed and involved in all implementation stages.
Hon. Mohamed Papa Bangura described the rehabilitation of the National Stadium as “a national priority and a wake-up call for government”, stressing that Sierra Leone should take responsibility for completing the project rather than relying solely on external support. He called on Parliament to escalate the matter through relevant committees and engage the President and key ministries to secure the resources needed for the stadium’s completion.
The Executive Director of NSA, Mohamed Alpha Conteh, stressed that the stadium project should be treated as “a national priority beyond political considerations”. He noted that Sierra Leone continued to bear high costs by playing international “home” matches outside the country. “This stadium is central to our economic growth and the survival of our people,” he said, urging stakeholders to adopt pragmatic solutions including public-private partnerships and supplementary funding options.
In her closing remarks, Hon. Mariatu Rachael Pessima rejected satisfaction with the idea of partial handover, insisting on a definitive timeline for full completion. “It’s not sweetening my ears,” she said. “You are telling us about partial handover. Is there any way we can have a date for complete handover?” She also raised concern over the exclusion of Committee members from key stakeholder meetings and urged better coordination between government institutions and Parliament.