New buses in Freetown bring more woes to public and transportation chaos, instead of relief

By Kabs Kanu

Since the SLPP government unveiled the World Bank – funded 50 -bus consignment from India, there have been lots of complaints from the public.

Even though the SLPP Government is not amiss in patting itself on the back for the 50 buses which are meant to alleviate suffering for teansportation in Sierra Leone’s overcrowded capital city, it would seem like even good things from this government come with a high price.

Look at the new Lungi International Aitport. Many Sierra Leoneans do not use it and prefer to board or disembark in neighbouring Guinea because using their own airport is very expensive and needlessly exploitative. The taxes and charges , added to the price of plane tickets and other costs, have made the Sierra Leone international Airport one of the most expensive to use and travelers prefer to use the international Airport in Conakry, Guinea.

Now, the 50 buses are here. Their arrival was greeted with joy by Sierra Leoneans who saw it as a commendable endeavor by President Bio to alleviate the perennial transportation crisis in the city. However, it took no time for Sierra Leoneans to change from praise to angry attacks on the government because of many unforseen problems the coming of the new buses have created. Unbelievably , the buses brought more woes to the struggling public and now one civil society group , the National Consortium, headed by Edmond Abu , has described the new buses as a criminal enterprise.

First of all, riding the buses is not only expensive for the public at Le 10, 000 a ticket but it has forced other Commercial transportation like the taxis, poda podas, kekehs and Okadas to hike their prices too to bring their fares at par with the government buses.

Secondly, in an unscrupulous desire to create less competition for the new buses, the SLPP Government banned other transportation from using the main routes, which are now plied only by the new buses. This has brought serious hardship to the people , who could no longer capture rides from the transportation of their choices.

Poda poda , kekeh and okada drivers whose routes have been diverted and who are complaining that they have been virtually put out of business have been seen on social media loudly complaining and damning the SLPP Government.

The government of Sierra Leone has not responded to Edmond Abu’s allegations but both the Minister of Education and Civic Education, Chernor Bah and the Presidential Press Secretary, Yusuf Kekehtorma have appeared on National TV to defend the government’s procedures and structures with regards to the buses.