NASSIT ferry breathes life
MV Bai Bureh, one of National Social Security and Insurance Trust’s (NASSIT) most talked about ferries Wednesday afternoon breathed life as it was on a ‘test and see’ trip with sections of journalists on the high sea of Government Wharf onto Cline town.
Facts have it that the aforementioned boat had arrived in Sierra Leone a few years ago, but was not in good working order.
It was even referred to as unworthy for use at the high seas of Sierra Leone.
The revival reached its point shortly after the boat was put to motion and was seen patrolling the high sea of Government Wharf in central Freetown.
At a well attended ceremony aboard MV Bai Bureh it was disclosed to journalists that the boat will help ease sea transportation to and from Government Wharf.
The boat, it is told, operates at a sizeable cost and is passenger-friendly.
In her statement, the General Manager of Sierra Ferries, Mrs. Victoria Mansaray said the boat MV Bai Bureh was a subject of serious national controversy, but that it has received relevant maintenance in Dakar, Senegal.
She said the boat has a capacity of over 200 passengers, with adequate safety and a modern computerized system, and it will be dry docking in Dakar’s shipyard every two years for examination.
“On profitability,” she said, “the investment, after appraisals proved payable, considering its capacity safety, marketing, strategy and managerial control system.”
“The boat will soon get its associated overhead cost and begin realizing profit within the next seven years,” Mansaray assured.
Captain Freddy Christopher Bob Jones, who doubles as Managing Director for CZAK Group Ltd, confirmed he was among persons that were aboard MV Bai Bureh as it sailed from Dakar to Freetown.
“The boat is alright and has the potential of earning NASSIT big profits,” he assured.
He called on all to patronize with Sierra Ferries in the achievement of their long term objectives nay satisfying NASSIT’s clients.
It is a fact that MV Bai Bureh has for long been tagged as dead.
Senior NASSIT officials have had their names in the Anti Corruption Commission’s chat owing to public’s outcry that the purchased boats were corruptly bought.
Journalists from both the print and electronic were admitted onto boat Bai Bureh on a ‘try and see’ tour from Government Wharf quay to Cline town zone to assess the speed, sound, capacity and safety of the ferry.
It is assured that the ferry has 15 years warranty, but according to Sierra Leone’s maritime laws, it would be making dry docks every year to enhance safety precautions.
Bob Lone, a marine time consultant said that the ferry has over 300 life jackets and can take up to 65 standard vehicles and 250 passengers at one go.
He revealed that the ferry has a GPS to operate it at all times and also has two backup generators.
“As for its fuelling capacity,” he said, “it can take 40,000 liters of fuel and extract 5 gallons per hour, per engine, as it is almost brand new”
The ferry has a length and breadth of 64 and14 meters and the biggest ever in the history of Sierra Leone.
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