Are we back to the days of Junta or Revo?

By the look of our current traffic and transportation system in Freetown it is obvious that we are now back to the days of the junta regime which took the reigns of power in 1997 and 1999 respectively. Now, people who live all the way out in Calaba town, Wellington and Kissy are suffering from acute transportation problems after a hectic day’s work. In one of my previous writings I glaringly portrayed how City Commuters are at the mercy of unscrupulous drivers.

This suffering could not be unconnected to the corrupt practice of the Police, Traffic Warden and the Drivers’ Union Officials. It is now a common scene along Fourah Bay and Kissy Roads to see office workers, business people, and school children trekking their way home due to the congested traffic and lack of Poda-Poda and Taxis to take them to their various destinations. Freetonians could vividly reminisce AFRC May 25 interregnum of 1997 when people who reside in the East end of Freetown used to trek their way to their offices and way back home after working in the central part of the City. It was a tedious and strenuous journey on foot called ‘Abu-Black’. Are we back to those days when things were not in the favour of we the people?

Before the war and early 90’s vehicular traffic was at smooth flow and workers and school children were conveyed right at the centre of town-PZ. One in his or her right senses might tend to ask what have been the causes of this sudden change in the traffic system in the city. At times when changes take place that might affect a bulk of Sierra Leoneans; many of us are oblivious as to how they happened; magically? Vehicles have stopped coming to PZ round about for a decade now, no one ever thought of it that it might debar our movement within and outside the City centre as it is now. Coming down town to work in the morning is scrambling, returning home during rush hour is another is another hustling and rambling. “As a resident of Wellington, I have experienced difficulty going home after lectures,” lamented Mabinty Kargbo, a student of FBC I sat with on one our drudgery journeys from the eastern part of the city.

Many of the victims of the acute transportation problem have informed the Sierra Express Media that the Abacha Street Sellers are one of the causes to this transportation menace in the city. This is true because they have abandoned selling their wares at the main Abacha Street and occupy in front of the Eastern Police station with impunity. It seems the Police personnel at the Eastern police station are blind to these entire misnomers going on around them. Worst of it, the Police who are supposed to alleviate the traffic problem are believe to be immersed in receiving tips from drivers; causing unnecessary commotion and difficulty that that has engulfed transportation problem in the city.

The acute transportation problem and vehicular traffic around the city has been worsened by Abaca Street Sellers. They are constantly engaged in selling their wares in the middle of the street. Their activity has blocked the main route leading to Fourah Bay Road and Kissy Road thereby causing people to walk (Abu black)  a long distance to Cottage, Cline town and Up gun to board Poda -Poda and Taxis transport. Amidst this worrying transportation problem and road congestion; one wonders what has gone wrong with ‘Operation Free Flow’ in the past regime. Has it come to a halt or no longer in existence?

We as watchful citizens are conscious of the fact that most projects initiated by our authorities are always aborted halfway without achieving their intended purpose. The mere failure of ‘Operation Free Flow’ and ‘Operation Clean the City’ are conspicuous indicators that our authorities lack the culture of continuity. Moreover, this transportation shortage around the city has warranted people live close by to ‘Abu black’ on a daily basis .In the evening hours, instead of vehicular traffic, it is now mass exodus of people trekking their way home warily. Abu black is the order of the day in Freetown. The SLP, Traffic Warden, and Drivers’ Union should look in to these problems in order to alleviate the problem of ordinary Sierra Leoneans as politicians are blind to the suffering of their people whom they claim to represent.

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