The greatest achievements are made not by chance! To become exceptionally successful in life, career, marriage, ministry, you have to go the extra mile. Indeed, I think I agree with Leonardo da Vinci there.
Abuja was not built in a month, but every government no matter military or civilian contributed its bit to have the new capital of Nigeria. In Sierra Leone the story is different. Successive governments try to start brand new projects even if they are not priorities simply because they did not start the others. You may want to ask why Sierra Leone never did its own part of the international road from Monrovia to Conakry. There are many projects we are doing now that we should have done in the mid-seventies if only our leaders showed more patriotism and less egocentrism. As far back as the 1970s, we started hearing about the Lumley Bridge, Bumbuna Hydro project, the Aberdeen Bridge, the Congo cross bridge and the Bandajuma- Bo Water Side Road. These projects could have cost less if done at that time. If we were proactive enough, we would have had an alternative water supplies system with its dam located in the east part of Freetown as was mooted at the time. Now the problem is sitting squarely on our laps gnawing at our stomach.
For their part, citizens for their have brazenly flouted laws with arrogant impunity. On the part of the politicians they selfishly refuse to enforce the laws because of fear of losing votes at elections, so the problems increase and become complex. Take the issue of street trading. The Laws forbidding trading on the main streets are as old as the Freetown City Council. Over the years law enforcement apparatus could do nothing…they will tell you that their hands are tied. Either there are “orders from above’ or some high and mighty “has interest in the matter” every time people are arrested for falling foul with the law. Law and order cannot be upheld in this situation, talk less of accountability.
The issue of traffic congestion and environmental sanitation will remain with us for a very long time if our authorities do not get real serious and stop lip-servicing such important life threatening challenges that seem to defy every definition. When dysfunctional institutions/ establishments are headed by incompetent people, we get the kind of dismally poor public service performance that is prevalent these days. After the Okada restriction, I think the Minister should work on freeing our streets of traders.
The Freetown City has unfortunately had a long string of incompetent players who rest on their oars, counting on their party links to be a foremost guarantee to stay in power. God bless Late Alfred Akibo-Betts whose administration as Freetown City Council Chairman/ Mayor. He, especially in preparation for the City’s Bicentenary celebrations, gave the city a remarkable face lift. They got the streets of Freetown and sidewalks properly done and free of hawkers also.
Today, some people are hypocritically having issues around the actions taken by the current minister of Internal Affairs by getting motor bikes off the Central business district of Freetown. Simply put the Minister’s action is good and in line with statutory provisions. He has simply reinforced what the security apparatus have for long failed to do.
No sooner this action was taken than the commercial drivers started charging higher fees, thinking it is their turn to make more money by both shortening the trips and also increase the fares. If you ask me I will tell you that commercial drivers are among the most heartless public service providers in this nation. Yes indeed. One thing we need to consider is the fact that until all related challenges to the traffic situation are cleared in tandem, the situation will not change much.
Today our streets are occupied by hawkers/petty traders. I can’t understand why people keep proffering rather outlandish excuses. We all know that every citizen is required to strive to survive. However the survival strategies are to be within the ambit of the law. Like I always say, what is the use of laws if they are not effectively implemented? We have witnessed the passing of so many laws, including the celebrated Freetown City Council bye laws for street littering, keeping stray dogs at bay, plus , plus, plus. They all have flopped their usual vuvuzela yap-yap gimmicks and the council juggernauts continue in office, expecting the public to go to PZ and clap for them.
We should laud the bold step that the Internal Affairs Minister has taken. However it is just like opening a can of worms. We need to effectively deal with the issue of street trading once and for all! Currently pedestrians have no space. The traders have not only taken over the sidewalks, but have also taken part of the streets. We should remember that apart from vehicles there are other road users like wheel barrows, omolankay and with the water crisis, the bearing which carries five-gallons full of water. So you see the motor bikes are just one side of the story.
With the look of things, I think the most important follow-up action the minister should take is checking the extortionist attitude of our commercial drivers which is making life unbearable for commuters. It is because of the insincerity of our political leadership that a place like Abacha street traders has become an institution and a serious force unto itself. The promises to clear the streets were abandoned no sooner the elections were won and lost. Let the Minister take the Akibo- style steadfastness.
We should know that our country’s constitution allows for separation of powers where by the Executive, the Legislative and the judiciary have clearly distinct functions all in the bid to maintain checks and balances. Without this the rights of citizens that are sarcosantly embedded in Chapter three of the Sierra Leone Constitution, will be compromised. The police, being a law enforcing institution have to stay independent enough to carry out its duties to the best of its ability.
Restrictions on street trading and other regulations are embedded in The Road traffic Act of 2007, Part XI, restriction on Road use for road safety, Section 134 talks about Prohibition of Street Trading. The prohibited streets are actually listed in statutory instruments which I know the police and the Freetown City Council know about. I know that during the 50th Independence Celebrations traders were moved out of the streets. That was an opportune moment in which authorities could have got the traders to see reason to go to the existing markets. We know that some markets are not fully utilized because traders want to be on the streets.
We know the critical adverse effects of the loathed political interference into the work of the law enforcement authorities. In this twenty- first century we have to think outside the box and think very critically in order to improve service delivery. Remember prosperity cannot be achieved if we spend half of our valuable time stuck in traffic. Like Martin Luther once said “Nothing in the entire world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscious stupidity”.
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