TAKE HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS OFF JUI-REGENT ROAD
When the Chinese contractors completed work on the Jui-Regent road in 2014, very bold signposts were erected along the route prohibiting the use of the road by trucks weighing more than 10 tons or vehicles carrying sand, wood and stones. Trailer trucks and heavy machinery must be kept off, so it was sanctioned to be.
All those trucks banned from that busy route linking east and west Freetown are not complying with the regulations anymore.
At night well-organized scenes unfold at the various Police checkpoints; the loaded trucks would queue and wait for ‘final instructions’ before they are allowed to continue their journey. It came as a surprise to hear an official of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Corps admit that fatal accidents along the route have increased in recent times blaming some on heavy trucks. He was gracious enough to acknowledge that the truck drivers are flouting the order but never explained what they would do to ensure compliance.
Perhaps he never wanted to offend IG Sellu’s men. And so the lives of people will continue to be risked as a result of palms being greased. The road itself is favored by commuters and motorists as a more convenient alternative to travel from Adonkia to Waterloo in a comparatively shorter time. At Grafton checkpoint the sight of one of the signposts almost uprooted and leaning back and nearly swallowed up by tall grass, could not give a better picture of abandonment and rejection of the very message it carries.
ANOTHER FINE WASTE OF OUR TAXES INSIDE YOUYI BUILDING
We recently called attention to a number of expensive vehicles parked in a little corner of Youyi building in the area opposite Chicken Town. Those vehicles have been there for at least FOUR years, apparently for repairs. We cannot be too certain about this but from what we can see in that place, those vehicles have been cannibalized over the period and the only thing the government should do now is to sell them off and end the disgrace.
Buried in the grass and rubbish in the same place are motorbikes – the kind of bikes agriculture extension workers use to reach target communities in rural Freetown. We counted about half a dozen of them rotting away. How can people be so wicked in dealing with state property? Take a look at this picture and draw your own conclusion.
When we published pictures of vehicles found in the condition, we waited to hear from the relevant government agency but they did the normal thing, which is to ignore us and hope that that story will die out. We have very bad news for them. We will continue with this until action is taken. Properties bought with our taxes should be handled with care.
By the way, we know how many vehicles and bikes are parked in that place. Our next step will be to tell those in charge to be prepared to account for all of them when that time comes.
DO WE HAVE POLICE CHECKPOINTS OR EXTORTION POINTS?
It’s common knowledge that police officers, particularly those at checkpoints on the highways leading to provincial cities collect petty bribes daily. We have to be clear about that from the outset. It’s not because the big guys at headquarters have not tried to do something about it. They have mostly issued ridiculous threats of suspension and dismissal so we are sad to report that illegal collections continue and ordinary people are complaining.
We note two things: passenger vehicles carrying poor people and their goods are the main targets. The second point is the bribe is collected openly – in fact it would appear as if the business has been institutionalized because drivers simply alight from their vehicles and drop the agreed booking fee in the regular place while the passengers walk through a funny security barrier.
We don’t want anybody to read this as an unnecessary and unprovoked attack on the security forces or the police in particular. We appreciate the work they do to keep the nation safe and even at those checkpoints we want them to properly check all vehicles because the so-called private vehicles that they easily wave through could be the ones carrying dangerous weapons and drugs. We don’t think it is correct for the police to be collecting money from passengers under any circumstances. That kind of corruption hurts ordinary Sierra Leoneans directly. The police should never checkpoint collection as a supplement to their income.
Afro Boy’s SCORPIONS also use these roads but they never sting these rogue police officers. Is that not part of their anti-corruption mandate?
IG Fayia Sellu is risking a serious backlash from ordinary passengers by not reducing the number of checkpoints on our roads and making those that remain purposeful in strategic locations ONLY. We don’t want to come back after a month or so to say WE TOLD HIM SO.
NOW TO THOSE “CLEAN STREETS” OF FREETOWN
So no doubt there is a lot going on in the area of street cleaning. From our office in Freetown we see young boys going up and down daily shouting “CLEAN SALONE”. Sometimes we call them in to pick up the trash and receive some cash. That’s how they survive. We congratulate them for working so hard and putting their lazy compatriots to shame because their only means of survival is chasing big men for cash or turning to criminality.
The “Clean Salone” guys support the efforts being made by FCC in keeping our city clean but like the boys who collect money from people on the streets, the Clean Salone boys have very little or no connection to the FCC. Otherwise in claiming massive success in street cleaning, our Mayor would at least mention them and give them credit for what they are doing. Well she doesn’t like crediting people for anything - not even the central government that provides almost all the money she spends.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (31/05/24)
