By Ragan M Conteh

The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, on Tuesday 13 February, 2024 has disclosed to journalists at the Weekly government Press Conference that starting March 1st, the prices of vehicles to cross the Toll Gates will astronomically increase.

According to the Minister, those vehicles that used to pay Nle1 will now pay Nle3 and those from Nle 4 will now paid Nle10 respectively.

What is more heartrending the Minister explained is that, those buses and heavy trucks plying the toll gate route to Masiaka will now pay Nle 40 while others are paying lump sum of NLe500 and above.

The Minister said when the toll gate was constructed, the price of fuel was not that expensive at the time and that the toll gate was priced with low amount at the time.

He said today the price of fuel is high and the running cost of the toll gates become very expensive, the reason for the change of prices to cross the toll gates.

Sierra Leoneans who followed the weekly government press conference stated that, the toll gate will further bring untold sufferings to the citizens.

They said the Wellington-Masiaka toll road contract and the charges imposed on the very poor Sierra Leoneans clearly show that the country needs people who can think nationalistically and fight for the rights of the vulnerable masses many of whom are living in extreme poverty.

However, what many find strange and heartless in the context of Sierra Leone, is the act of charging poor people to pay for a road that does not worth the price, adding that one can only imagine the severe impact of this on the poorest people.

However, citizens have lamented that, such sporadic increase of prices on toll gates will not only affects the livelihood of the poor masses but will further put more burden on economic wellbeing of ordinary people.

The Wellington-Masiaka road is by far the busiest road in the country and the only road linking the capital Freetown to all provincial district towns and villages, including the Western Area Rural District.

It is the only road that is used for the transportation of goods to and from the capital to the provinces. This means that, even when the people may not want to use the toll road, the lack of an alternative would force them to be exploited.

Apart from the fact that the timeliness of the introduction of the new toll gate charges was bad, most of Sierra Leoneans also know that the contract is very poorly crafted.

Others said, the price change on the toll gate at this trying time is a ploy by government to add on the excruciating situation the masses faced today.

“Prices of good commodities will now increase, transportation will also find it higher routes, building materials and other food stuff will increase putting serious burden on the masses” citizens said.

Drivers who spoke to this medium have lambasted on the current state of Sierra Leone where government have turned blind eyes from the people and do their own and for their selfish endeavors.