SLRSA & SLP BRACE UP TO DECONGEST CBD

In an effort to make way for the free flow of traffic in the Central Business District, the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority – SLRSA in collaboration with the traffic division of the Sierra Leone Police has conducted a joint operation to clamp down on lawless bike riders and thus decongest the CBD.

The operation is been spearheaded by  SLRSA’s Deputy Executive Director Mr. James B. Bio with support from the Director of Traffic Management and Road Safety, Assistant Inspector General of Police AIG Kapri Saidu Kamara.

Mr. James B. Bio said the operation is a presidential directive which is in line with SLRSA quest to decongest the CBD for a free flow of traffic. The SLRSA Deputy Executive Direct said the Proliferation of bikes within the CBD has become a security concern and is causing so much trouble for law enforcement agencies like the SLP and the SLRSA.

“The proliferation of motor bikes plying the CBD is a serious security challenge to law enforcement agencies. We at SLRSA do have a duty to clamp down on whatever affects our operations and that of the livelihood and safety of other road users.” Mr. James B. Bio said.

The Director of Traffic Management and Road Safety AIG Kapri Saidu Kamara said the Mandate of the Sierra Leone Police is to protect life and property plus anything connected thereto. AIG K. S Kamara said as a traffic law enforcement body, the SLP finds the proliferation of motor bikes in the CBD as very worrisome and the situation do pose a lot of challenges in executing their mandate. He maintained that the operation is a presidential directive and that the SLP is mandated to execute it to the later to restore sanity on our roads.

Mr. Abdul Karim Dumbuya, Head of Communications and Outreach at SLRSA said the joint operation team on Wednesday 21st April 2021, apprehended about 150 commercial and private motor bikes within the Central Business District – CBD for violation of various traffic laws and each owner would be penalised according to the dictates of the law. He however maintained that the operation is ongoing and the public would be updated accordingly. He said SLRSA is committed to ensuring the safety of all road users.

World Vision hands over Water Projects to Guma

By Salifu Conteh

In complimenting Government’s effort through the Ministry of Health and sanitation and water Resources, World Vision Sierra Leone one of the liable and developmentally oriented Non-governmental Organization, yesterday 21st April 2021 under its Sustainable Water Project (WASH Project) handed over two water projects for Ola During and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH) at Fourah Bay Road and the Macauley Street Government Hospital respectively to Guma Water Company.

The Non-governmental Organization also handed over the work plan for the total renovation and rehabilitation of the Macauley Street Government Hospital to God’s Gift Construction and General Services.

The symbolic handing over of the project was separately done by the Health Specialist World Vision Saffa Andrew Koroma to the Deputy Director of Guma Ing. Francis Hinga Lahai on behalf of the Director and the Ministry of Water Resources, and also to the contractor of God’s Gift Construction witnessed by the Commissioner for Human Right  Commission, Doctors, Matrons and Nurses of both hospitals.

In a laconic statement as a way of an overview on the project, Saffa Andrew Koroma said the sustainable water project for Freetown is a project under the COVID 19 response program and opined that water is paramount in terms of usage.

He added that as an International Christian Organization working in relief development and advocacy with a vision focus on life in all it fullness for every child, cannot be achieved unless the child has a wellbeing, therefore it is imperative that every child that comes to these facilities should have life in all it fullness, pregnant women who normally access these facilities for delivery should have access to water without any impediment.

He narrated that the project will include a lot of work that Guma would do to ensure perfect completion which would add to the positive actions that comes from the hospitals in terms of child delivery and care.

The material cost of the contract is four hundred million Leones (Le400, 000,000.00), he disclosed to expedite the work.  

The Macauley Street Hospital which was engulfed by inferno, Saffa said World Vision will not only hand over the Water project but also the work plan for the total rehabilitation and renovation of the Hospital with standard facilities befitting same.

On behalf of his Boss the Director of Guma and the Ministry of Water Resources, the Deputy Director of Guma Ing. Francis Hinga Lahai said they are moved by the news making rounds in the past months and immediate dispatched a team of experts who discovered many problems in the Hospitals and key among is the inaccessibility of water, corrode pipes, poor storage facilities and that only one line runs through the hospital hence derailed the swift running of the water.

 However with the available support from World Vision, Guma will now connect another line to the Hospitals.

He reaffirmed Guma’s committed to the program in ensuring that the issue of water be a history in the country, noting that it is the vision of the President that by 2028  water should be available for all and sundry.

The Commissioner of the Human Right Commission, Madam Patricia Nasu Ndanema said issues of health, life and water are human right issues and the commission is deeply concern and will continually monitor the work as it is done.

Dilating on the scope of the work Ing. Patrick Gaima from World Vision said they will be doing connections from main Kissy Road to the Hospital at Ola During and PCMH, increase the storage tank, give power to the existing tower, do internal repairs of the ceiling, plumbing, changing the toilet seats, the Air Conditioning, taps and basins among others, and that the work is slated to be completed within 24 days and the internal pipe work and repairs will take six weeks under the supervision of Guma

Dr. Amadu Alusine Juana, Medical Superintendent Macauley Street Hospital appreciated World Vision for the gesture which comes at the right time taking into cognizance the long suffering they had undergone in terms of water facilities. He said the renovation and rehabilitation is a plus on their side as the hospital covers a verse community from Leicester road, Gloucester down to Circular road among others.

It could be recalled that few years back World Vision Sierra Leone with experts from Guma, the Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Health did a comprehensive fact finding at the Ola During Hospital, PCMH, and also the Macauley Street Hospital where they saw the real need for water and for the sake of the children and those in need decided to provide such facilities which they have done.