Chinese Government provides $10 million grant for Bo Stadium Construction Project

Project narrative

On May 16, 2005, Liu Shaokai, the representative from China Railway Engineering Corporation (CRECG), and Sullay M. Kallay, permanent secretary of Sierra Leone's Ministry of Sport, signed a contract for the design of a sports stadium in the city of Bo. The Chinese Ambassador Cheng Wenju, Economic and Commercial Counsellor Zhao Zhongqiu, Sierra Leone's Minister of Sport, Dannis Bright attended the signing ceremony. According to the design, the new stadium would include 4000 seats, 8 plastic track, a standard football field and other ancillary facilities. (中国援塞拉利昂博城体育场项目设计合同在弗里敦正式签订). Then, in 2006, China’s Ministry of Commerce approved a grant for the Bo Stadium Construction Project. It reportedly committed $10 million of grant funding for this project. Then, on January 8, 2007, Zhao Zhongqiu, the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese embassy, and Dannis Bright, Minister of Sport, signed a complementary agreement for this project (援塞拉利昂博城体育场设计补充合同在弗里敦签订). On December 18, 2008, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Qiu Shaofang, attended a formal groundbreaking ceremony of the stadium in Bo. Ambassador Qiu stressed that the stadium would provide important sports, leisure and gathering places for local people. Upon completion, the Bo stadium will serve approximately 1.5 million people in 3 universities, 12 middle schools, 60 primary schools and 15 technical schools, he said. (驻塞拉利昂大使邱绍芳出席中国援塞博城体育场开工仪式). Then, on April 11, 2008, the technical handover ceremony was held by the implementing company, Xinjiang Beixin International Engineering Construction Co., Ltd. Sierra Leone's Ministry of Sport inspected the stadium. (中国援塞拉利昂博城体育场项目进行技术交接). On April 25, 2014, an official handover ceremony of the stadium was held in Bo by the the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, and the Chinese Ambassador, Zhao Yanbo. At the ceremony, Ambassador Zhao and Minister of Sport Kamara signed the hand-over certificate on behalf of their respective governments. (Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yanbo and Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma jointly Commission the Bo Stadium).