Freetown, 23rd June, 2026 — Sierra Leone’s Parliamentary Committee on Sports has summoned the Ministry of Sports (MOS) and the National Sports Authority (NSA) to explain the prolonged delays in the rehabilitation of the National Stadium, a project being undertaken by Chinese contractors.
The meeting, held at Tower Hill in Freetown, sought to establish the current status of the project and explore ways Parliament could intervene to ensure timely completion. Committee Chairperson Hon. Racheal Pessima said the Committee’s objective was to receive a clear update and identify areas where support was needed. She praised the renewed cooperation between the Ministry and the NSA, urging both institutions to sustain momentum for the sake of national sports development.
Deputy Executive Director of the NSA, Dr. Abdulai Rahman Swaray, revealed that the rehabilitation project, launched in February 2022, had significantly exceeded its implementation timeline. He attributed the delays to loopholes in the project agreement. “We have been disadvantaged by the delay. We missed out on hosting matches in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers despite achieving a historic 15 points,” Swaray noted.
NSA Executive Director Mohamed Alphaka Conteh Esq. emphasized that completing the stadium requires both political will and practical action. He apologized for past misunderstandings between the Ministry and the NSA, pledging to restore professionalism and unity in the sector. “The mandate I have is to restore decorum and ensure the sector operates with integrity,” Conteh said, calling on Parliament to suggest practical solutions to fast-track completion.
The Ministry’s Director of Sports, Haroun Mustapha Korgie, commended Parliament for fostering unity between the two institutions. Meanwhile, NSA’s Director of Corporate Operations, Alie Sesay, briefed the Committee on recent stakeholder engagements, including a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Chinese Ambassador and representatives from relevant government agencies.
The Committee reiterated its commitment to ensuring the stadium rehabilitation project is completed, stressing that the facility is vital for Sierra Leone’s sports development and international competitiveness.
