On Thursday, March 14 2024, at the parliament building Tower Hill in Freetown, the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Works and Public Assets in the Parliament of Sierra Leone engaged stakeholders on the proposed toll gate charges.
The committee chairman, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, in his opening statement, stated that the engagement aims to ascertain the views of the public and to further proffer recommendations to Parliament. He said it was essential to ensure that the public’s voice is heard, and that the committee will review all the documents holistically and make recommendations accordingly.
The stakeholders, including civil society organizations, drivers, Keke drivers union, and the media, provided their views and opinions on the proposed toll gate charges increment. The Chief Executive Officer of the Native Consortium and Research Center, Edmond Abu, applauded Parliament’s intervention and called for the welfare of citizens. He presented his organization’s findings that the total charges should be dropped, citing the sentiments of 200 CSOs who have concluded that the increment charges should be dropped.
The Driver’s Union president, Alpha Amadu Bah, pleaded on behalf of truck drivers and people affected by group four in the agreement, which are vehicles transporting essential goods. He requested different prices for vehicles in the country and foreign vehicles coming from Guinea, asking for three hundred Leones for vehicles in the country and five hundred Leones for trailers coming from Guinea.
In response, Hon. Bashiru Silikie stated that all the contributions from the speakers are vital and will be part of their recommendations to Parliament. He also emphasized the significant challenge of overloading and requested that all parties comply with the weight limits.
Overall, the committee and stakeholders engaged in a constructive dialogue to ensure that the proposed toll gate charges are fair and equitable for all parties involved.
By Abdul Rahman Bah