By Gibao Brima

Several operations have been launched by the Sierra Leone Police and other relevant stakeholders over the years spanning from erstwhile President Ernest Bai Koroma’s led All People’s Congress (APC) administration to clear the Central Business District (CBD) of the dozens of commercial motorbikes with the primary aim of decongesting traffic and importantly to prevent frequent accidents that were caused by these motorbikes.

Regrettably however, none of these operations achieved its desired results. One was launched during the days of Paolo Conteh as Minister of Internal. It appeared to work as it started well with police deployment along strategic points to arrest defaulting riders and their bikes. Those arrested were charged to court where they were fined or spend a maximum of six months at Pademba Road Correctional Center. That situation created some fear in the minds most of bike riders and apparently avoided the prohibited CBD areas. As mentioned earlier, that operation, just like the previous ones, died a natural death when elections were approaching.

However under the current Directorship of Commissioner of Police Abdul Moijueh and his team at the Traffic Secretariat, the new operation which started on February 1st 2025 appears to be achieving the desired goal as sanity has is gradually returning to the CBD as traffic congestion has been admirably reduced and pedestrians can now walk freely along or cross over streets without fear of being knock down by reckless bike riders.

Talking to cross-section of business people along Kissy Road, Saint John and Model junction, they expressed thanks in appreciation to the Sierra Leone Police especially the Traffic Unit for doing marvelous job.

They said as parents, it has been a headache for them especially when their children were off from school as they often find it difficult to across over streets even at Zebra crossing points. “But thank God it is now better a bit. What we want now is sustainability of the operation because we don’t want it to be another white elephant project.

Talking to Director Moijueh through his  abled Lieutenant, the National Traffic Coordinator Deputy Superintendent of Police Alimamy Koroma he underscores that before the operation came into force, several engagements and consultations were  held with various stakeholders including Bike and Kekeh Riders’ Union and they all agreed that the Central Business District should be a no go area.

It was against that backdrop DSP Koroma said they have deployed their personnel right across the CBD zones to enforce the operation.

“Defaulters are being fined the sum the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand old notes, and through that we have been able to collect millions of leones over the period the operation has been launched,” the senior officer explained.

To tight up security at the CBD, the DSP said they now hand over all arrested bikes to Road Safety Corps where defaulters have to pay fines to the police and within the process if they find out that the defaulting motorbikes are not licensed, they will be impounded until the needful is done before they are released to their owners after production of all relevant documents.

This latest development, DSP Koroma noted, have helped them clear up the CBD area with intruders though not yet hundred percent.

When asked about the allegation that most of the bikes that ply the CBD are owned by members of the security forces including the police,

DSP Koroma responded that his Director is a no-nonsense man who doesn’t care who owns what, as he is ever ready to do the right thing in the interest of the people and state in general.