By: AMINATA SAMEENA SESAY
The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has decentralized new driver’s licenses renewals at regional level to accelerate a proper system.
This was disclosed on Thursday 13th October, 2022 at the usual Ministry of Information and Communications Press briefing at Youyi building in Freetown.
According to the Executive Director of SLRSA, Smart K. Senessie, the initiative is to ensure that operations are fully decentralized to match up the with the government’s agenda. He therefore said that, the number of driving licenses to be issued out is expected to exponentially increase, since they are now printed at substations at Pademba road in the West of Freetown, Makeni, Bo and Kenema.
He noted that, at the end of August 2021, the sum of Le 9.2 billion was transferred to the Road Fund and another Le 5.5billion remitted to help finance road maintenance and rehabilitation.
Reverend Senessie mentioned that the authority, in 2018, entered into partnership with Autospect Sierra Leone Limited to enhance operation in the area of vehicle fitness examination, issuance of vehicle licenses, vehicle record (life card) and number plate. He said they have also built two fitness centres at their Kissy Road office Mile 6 .
He also stated that, the authority in partnership with the Freetown Polytechnic and the Milton Margai University, has established two impound yards in Freetown, one at Jui in the east and another in the far West, which he said is to decongest the streets and enforce road traffic laws and regulations.
The SLRSA Executive Director also mentioned that in a bid to encourage the use of authentic and quality vehicle spare parts, the authority has partnered with Auto Parts Freetown Limited (APF) a local subsidiary of a Belgium- based franchise.
Whilst highlighting the challenges faced by SLRSA, he pointed out that Sierra Leone has high incidents of road crashes with attendant fatalities and serious injuries. He also said that, they are faced with poor post-crash regime to respond to crash victims.
He further said that, the authority is faced with inadequate financial support to undertake envisaged activities. He went on to say that, they also lack coordinated data bank for road traffic crashes as well as transport related statistics. He added that SLRSA has inadequate operational tools to run its affairs.
In order to address the challenges, Reverend Senessie pointed out that, they have been engaging with the Sierra Leone Insurance Commission (SLICOM) and the Insurance Industry on modalities for the establishment of a post-crash emergency respond fund. He said the fund aims at constructing clinics, trainings, recruitment and deployment of paramedics along major highways across the country.
He went on to say that they plan to ratify and domesticate international legal instruments on road safety and create new unit, to restructure and rebrand the institution.
The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority came into being by an Act of Parliament in 1996 to regulate and coordinate development in the Road transport industry. It aims to promote road safety, inspection and supervision of vehicles repairs and maintenance.
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