By Alpha Abu
Following statements by Members of Parliament attributing the many accidents on the roads to the attitude of drivers stopping on dangerous and authorised areas and casting blame on the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA), its Executive Director Ibrahim Sannoh has told Politico that they are fully aware of the situation and are devising ways to curb the problem.
He took cognisance of their mandate as enshrined in the 1996 Act of parliament for coordinating and regulating the transport industry with focus on testing of vehicles and related matters saying: “We cannot shy away from all the allegations levied in terms of the road crashes in the country”.
He said this year the SLRSA has tailored its annual work plan in line with the government’s Mid-Term Development Plan including increasing the number of driving schools including the initiation of robust driver training measures especially for new drivers, the introduction for the first time, of a road audit and increased vehicular testing, are the key objectives for the Authority this year.
He said the operations of the Authority shifted from motor testing to incorporate road safety related issues, in light of the global phenomenon and public safety concerns noting that the SLRSA Board has approved for the first time-ever a Traffic Management and Safety Engineering Department for which they have already secured the services of an expert.
Sannoh said the Authority has been holding discussions with partners notably SLRA, Office for Presidential Infrastructure Initiatives and RMFA on the implementation of a road audit which will specifically examine the “black spots” or roads prone to accidents within the Western Area and elsewhere. The nature of the roads will be examined to determine the reasons for the accidents.
He cited the distance between Tombo Junction and five-five along the Waterloo highway and a spot close to Kowama village on the Taiama- Bo stretch as two of the numerous dangerous areas prone to accidents that are scattered across the country.
According to the SLRSA boss application of road furniture or signs falls within the purview of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and that 10% of revenue generated by SLRSA from licence fees and motor testing charges go into the Single Treasury Account which then remits the money to the Road Maintenance Fund and the agency then makes the funds available to the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRSA) as implementing partners for the structural works such as road signs.
The Executive Director also highlighted plans to start a towing initiative to address the breakdown of vehicles on busy routes but admitted they have been faced with the challenge of securing funds for that.
On the breathalysers that were experimented some time ago, Sannoh admitted they have run short of supplies and have engaged the Sierra Leone Brewery to have the process revitalised.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (22/03/21)
