SLRTA Commissions Vehicle Fitness Center & Equipment

The Chairman of the Board of the Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority (SLRTA), Professor Harry Turay on Friday 4^TH January, 2013 commissioned the modern Vehicle Examination Center, Multi-Purpose Tow Trucks and Wheel Clamps at a ceremony held at the SLRTA Compound Kissy Road in Freetown.

Professor Harry Turay emphasized the importance of the occasion that offers the SLRTA the opportunity to adequately prepare for the National Agenda for Prosperity which he underscored was taken after careful considerations.

He continued that the Board of the Authority has also developed an organogram for management and indentified administrative gaps that were addressed adding that the newly established Traffic Warden Corps in the Road Safety Division was established to help cope with the work, ranking designed and implemented and a code of conduct and regulations submitted for approval.

Prof. Harry Turay added that temporary and part time staff hanging around its premises for the past years were reviewed and given appointments and revealed that the appointment of the substantive Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Bendu (in photo), provides some advantages in important strategic decision-making areas.

He further highlighted successes of the Board including rehabilitation of the Kenema office, construction of new ones in Makeni and acquisition of land for future development in Lungi, Mamamah and Makeni, support to the Tertiary Education Commission’s National Conference, commemoration of the country’s 50^th Independent Anniversary and establishment of the National Civil Service Training College.

According to the Board Chairman, the Agenda for Prosperity poses some challenges for the service delivery sector to support this important objective such as vehicle inspection and the purchase of two tow trucks.

He said abandoned vehicles on the roads that sometimes result to accidents and prone to environment damage, congestion and physical road damage would be removed to facilitate the free flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

Enlightening about the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety according to Section 9 of the 1996 Act of Parliament, he asserted that it empowers the Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority to regulate, coordinate and promote efficiency in all activities within the road transport sector with a view to enhancing or improving the contribution of that sector to the country’s economic development.

He said one major strategy to actualize the Act is the promotion of road safety that among others require a thorough screening of all vehicles to ensure their road worthiness and reiterated that the Authority remains committed to the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety which major objective is to reduce road accidents by 50% globally by 2020 in member states and disclosed that progress would be achieved by 2016.

Professor Turay concluded that the five pillars of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety include Road Safety Management, Safety Roads and Mobility, Safer Vehicles, Road User Behavior and Post Crash Care.

Dr. Sarah Bendu, SLRTA Executive Director disclosed that the Authority is more than determined to clear the streets of Freetown of traders and derelict vehicles and garages to help promote the Agenda for Prosperity, affirmed that lawlessness would soon become a thing of the past and appealed to all stakeholders to partner with SLRTA to attain its objectives of restoring sanity in the road transport sector.

Dr. Bendu reiterated that only road worthy vehicles would be allowed to ply the streets for which he appealed to all for their support and cooperation.

The Public Relations Officer of SLRTA, Abdul Dumbuya, who rendered the vote of thanks, disclosed that they have been working with the Sierra Leone Police to curb road accidents and traffic congestion in the city without success but assured that this time it would yield dividends.

By Ragan M. Conteh

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