Impact of Sierra Leone Minister of Transport and Aviation banning right-hand vehicles

Apart from the rumours I have heard and the publication by a Freetown newspaper that the Minister of Transport and Aviation Mr Leonard Balogun Koroma has officially pronounced the ban on the importation of right-hand vehicles into Sierra Leone, I have yet to read it from any official government release memo. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of such policy on the middle class and overall the millions of Sierra Leoneans who depend on their UK relatives for a better quality of life.  (Photo: Momodu Mansaray, author)

Although the newspaper did not state the reasons as to why the Minister decided to ban the importation of right-hand vehicles into the country, my understanding is that they are the cause for an increase in road accidents in the country. Some senior traffic Police officers have gone public to blame right-hand vehicles for causing road accidents without proper statistical data and reports.  

In my view the banning of right-hand vehicles in the country is a wrong policy and I believe the authorities have not properly thought through the ramifications of such a decision.

First of all, to identify one single factor out of many as a cause for road accidents indicates that no proper research was undertaken to identify the multiple causes for road accidents. It appears that a group of influential people met at a Public House (pub) drinking beer and probably whiskey and decided to influence the Minister to ban right-hand vehicles without thinking about the significant detrimental effect such policy will make on the general people.  Is this Policy made without Parliament approval or is it a by-law imposed by the Ministry of Transport? I acknowledge that the Sierra Leone traffic system has changed since the 1970s from right-hand to left-hand vehicles, but is there a law that prohibits the importation of right-hand vehicles? If so, the majority of Sierra Leoneans and diplomats have broken the law over the past years.

Whilst it may be true that right-hand vehicles have contributed to road accidents and the endangerment of lives in the country, it is also true that they have made significant contributions to the economy of the country after the end of the 10 years war.

I question the reliability of the Police statistical data or report, which may have prompted the authorities to make a decision like this.  Even if the police report is correct, in my view it fails to take into account the corrupt practices of the Office (Road Transport) that issues licences to drivers, it fails to take into account the bad road signs and it also fails to consider the reckless driving patterns by public transport (Poda poda and taxi) drivers as part of the factors responsible for road accidents. Above all, the corrupt traffic police officers practices have not been considered as a contributing factor.  In my view as long as these problems remain unsolved the risk of road accidents whether right-hand vehicles are banned or not, will remain very high.

Let me take this opportunity to highlight the significant contributions the African Diaspora in the developed world is making in their respective country’s economies before concluding this short article. Maybe apart from a few African countries, the financial and material contributions have outweighed the direct financial aid given to governments in the developing world from western countries. With respect to Sierra Leone since the war ended, the Diaspora has contributed significantly in terms of material and financial means to help alleviate poverty in the country. Some of these financial and material contributions have been targeted to address specific problems that affect the people directly.  Here is a case as example:

A friend of mine who lives and works in the UK has sent two right-hand cars for his brother who is married and has four children. One of the cars is used as a taxi to generate income for the family.  The other car is use for private purposes. The car used for taxi is given to a young man who left the provinces during the war and he now lives in Freetown. He is a qualified driver with wife and children. Prior to this job he has tried several times to find employment, but in vain. When this opportunity came he took it seriously and he does his job with great safety and professionalism. If this Policy goes ahead he and millions of others in a similar situation are going to suffer financially in a country where there is no unemployment benefit payment. In addition to this their dependents will also suffer, especially their children who are in secondary schools and required to pay fees and buy books.

The greater impact of this policy will be costly and has a long term negative effect. The Minister wants support from both the Diaspora and Sierra Leoneans living in the country, but I doubt he will get it as the impact of this policy is real and it will bring further suffering to middle class Sierra Leoneans.

It will bring financial suffering to people who depend on their relatives here in the UK.

I also believe that it will create both economic and social instability as some young people will result to crime such as theft, army robbery and burglary.

The authorities who pushed this policy through have miscalculated the serious impact it will make on the economy.

Tips to address the current road accident problems:

• Improve road sign quality
• Issue licences to only drivers who pass both theory and practical driving tests
• Traffic Police officers must stop corrupt practices by harassing drivers for money and encouraging them to park anywhere.

I urge the authorities to re-look at this policy and consider the impact it will make on everyday Sierra Leoneans.

By Momodu Mansaray, London, United Kingdom

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