DANGER ON THE ROAD NEAR SALPOST BUT WHO CARES?
We've been waiting for the longest time for the authorities to do something about that big hole right in front of the SALPOST building along Siaka Stevens Street. We really don't need to over-emphasise the danger to motorists and pedestrians. Less than a week ago, we saw a vehicle that was badly damaged when its driver, apparently assuming the road was smooth, found himself facing a huge repair bill. A week before that, a mini bus transport vehicle suffered the same fate. It took several hours and significant disruption to traffic for the vehicle to be towed away.
Because we've waited so long for action, we suspect the authorities have run out of ideas. We have the following suggestions to make right now in the hope it will help:
1. Let's make it possible for people to take the Freetown City Council or Roads Authority to court every time people suffer personal injuries and property damage due to this kind of neglect. When these organisations start paying big compensation money, they will behave themselves.
2. For this system to work, we need a fast-track court for such cases. Let's not make it part of the gridlock we have in the normal system.
3. We understand that the metals that are normally used to cover holes like those on our road are routinely stolen and sold as scrap by our so-called future leaders. Can we just arrest and lock up those scrap dealers who encourage that vile trade?
4. The problem is not just with Siaka Stevens Street near SALPOST,. There are other places in the city - like small Waterloo Street and Wallace Johnson Street where such holes also exist. We can't afford this in 21st century Sierra Leone. Please!
5. While we are on this, can somebody please tell us why the SALPOST rehabilitation job is taking forever! And why is it so mediocre? Is SALPOST telling us they cannot pay for a proper company to paint their building. The present company is using crude sticks to do their scaffolding and a single old man to paint the building. What is this? If you guys don't mind, please officially request us to open a SALPOST TRUST FUND to complete this job.
COMMERCIAL BANK HQ BUILDING NEEDS URGENT ATTENTION
We are waiting for work to begin on the entrance to the headquarters building of the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank because it seems the tiles on the building are falling off with nobody taking notice let alone taking action. We’ve been praying quietly for the senior people in that bank to act without being urged to do so on the pages of a newspaper.
We are talking about the main entrance to the country's main commercial bank. A very old bank that should give a good impression of itself at the entrance to any of its buildings, not least its headquarters.
As Sierra Leoneans, some of us loyal customers are prepared to contribute to a fund for the rehabilitation of bank's headquarters. The managers can go ahead, open an account and make the number available to us. No amount of money should be considered too small for this effort. Long Live the great bank.
WATER WAHALA GETTING WORSE IN SALONE. STOP TALKING, ACT NOW
Another World Water Day has come and gone. Minister Pikin Maligie has made a big speech talking about a new Dam at Rokel. Come on bro, we've heard too many speeches, full of weasel words which people allow to pass like the wind - absolutely no impact.
And this is not because we hold Pikin Maligie responsible for the current problem. Governments past and present have simply failed to take the necessary steps to make sure every home in this capital gets running water or some reliable supply system. When Pikin Maligie was appointed to that post, we thought he was handed a poisoned chalice but he sounded so optimistic that we thought that like Moses, he would simply strike the rock for water to flow. Three years on, things have deteriorated in Freetown in particular. If not for SALWACO, we would be saying the same for the regions. Bangura has worked beyond expectation at SALWACO. Here are some pieces of advice:
1. While Pikin Maligie does this yearly ritual called World Water Day, let him reflect a bit on the reality in the homes in Freetown and stop the unnecessary speech-making and bravado. Most people went to sleep the moment they saw the headlines about Rokel Dam.
2. We are counting the number of girls who are being impregnated by criminals while they go around communities very early in the morning looking for water. We will hold Pikin Maligie responsible for their welfare.
3. We are also taking stock of the hundreds of children, who in the process of fetching water to keep their homes running, have dropped out of school. They include those who sell water to make a living during school hours.
4. We appeal to Pikin Maligie to supply TEN JERRY CANS to each household in Freetown daily. That will be a good start.
5. Can Pikin Maligie also tackle the huge waste taking place along the supply lines to the few homes and stand pipes in Freetown? Too much waste. How can we waste so much water when we have not a single drop of the precious commodity to drink?
FREETOWN UNDER ATTACK BY STRAY DOGS
The Freetown City Council is completely absent in the lives of the people of this city. The only place we see them are in markets collecting dues or rounding up traders or in the media, sometimes complaining about City Rates or grave space.
We are desperately looking forward to the next local elections so we do away with Bababode and his people - a clean sweep is coming. This time the RED MOVEMENT is going to be so busy trying to save itself that those seeking offices under their name would have to win on their own steam.
We call on people living in Freetown to walk past that eyesore the FCC has created in the middle of our city. Since they knocked down the former City Hall, the place has become an open defecation square for street boys and girls. The other day we saw a dog with six or seven puppies just beneath the foundation at the Wallace Johnson Street end.
Those ones are going to join the many other stray dogs all over Freetown. We have complained and complained about stray dogs, stray pigs, raw sewerage, unauthorised street trading, many very bad Municipal schools and all that. Bababode has decided to ignore us. We have to keep going anyway.
This is perhaps the only country that doesn't seem to have a policy on pet ownership. Or animal husbandry issues in urban settings. May be we have the laws somewhere but political correctness is keeping Bababode away from following the rules.
See you at the polls.
(C) Politico 19/04/16
