By Bampia James Bundu
Yesterday morning dozens of pupils of the Milton Margai School for the Blind blocked vehicular traffic on Wilkinson Road in protest. And it took the intervention of one of their own, deputy minister of social welfare, Mustapha Bai Atilla to assuage them. The protesting pupils say that not for the first time two of their colleagues were hit on Friday in front of their school by a passenger van leaving them in a critical condition. Speaking to this press the head teacher of the school, Didimus Kargbo revealed that for the past months there had been numerous road accidents in front of their school and nothing had been done by the authorities to address the situation. He demanded for the building of a speed hump in front of their school to force vehicles to slow down. “We decided to demonstrate on a Monday because of the mad rush on this day, and we believe our voice and concern will be heard by the relevant authorities” Kargbo said. He said they were sorry for any inconvenience caused by their action but appealed to the public to understand their situation asking rhetorically, “if it were your children you will do the same to proffer solution”. Addressing the pupils, MB Atilla expressed regret for what had happened to the pupils and promised to meet the demand of the school to construct the speed hump. He promised to call an emergency meeting of the Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority on the way forward. Attila, himself blind, appealed to the pupils to take heart and go back to their classes and continue their studies. “As a former pupil of this school I will ensure that I fulfil your need” he said. (C) Politico 16/07/13
