By Ragan M Conteh
About 200 civil society activists headed by Edmond Abu Jr have urged Parliament, during a Works Committee in Parliament, for CRSG to unconditionally pull away one tollgate out of the three operating in the country.
They asked for all blockades CRSG have created at the 3 tollgate area to be removed.
Edmond Abu Jr pointed out that the blockage of the alternative routes does not just a national security risk or a breach of contract but the blockage is an egregious assault on the human rights and dignity of Sierra Leoneans.
“This is what a responsible government whose people have voted them should be seen in the center but not to defend the CRSG,” he said.
Edmond Abu Jr who spoke on behalf of his colleagues CSOs said, they demanded for a review of the contract agreement with CRSG and the Government of Sierra Leone as prescribed in Article 22.15 of the agreement.
He said the he citizens and the CSOs say no to any increment and urge the old fees to remain until a thorough investigation is done.
CSO Edmond Abu Jr cited the lack of transparency and accountability.
He said from the last Parliamentary engagement Chaired by the esteemed Hon Speaker Dr. Abass Chernoh Bundu, it came out clear that “the whole contract is shrouded in Secrecy” and racketeering scheme for the wrong reasons with no accountability and transparency, saying that even the lead Government agency and expert who happens to be the concessionaire of (SLRA) is saying they don’t have access to the raw data and the report of the “Concessionee (CRSG) does not make any sense as it is not comprehensive”.
He said for them as CSOs they don’t even need the SLRA (Concessionaire) it thus it is only there to legitimize and validate the findings.
That is from the research done by their lead Coalition member Native Consortium and Research Center, claiming that the whole contract lacks transparency and accountability on the part of the Concessionee (CRSG) and the deliberate complicit and negligence on the part of the Concessionaire.
Because of, he continued, the interference of “corrupt politicians” on the past and present Governments, particularly in the way how the current Works Minister had mislead the public to protect CRSG and it begs so many questions.
Therefore, the CSOs are calling for an immediate independent investigation, for an independent engineers report, and independent auditors and to legally scrutinize the breaches between the two parties.
The advocate went on that this investigation should touch on the sticky issues around legal, technical, and financial areas on the contract.
He said as CSOs they won’t conclude this position paper without expressing their deepest condolences to the President and the entire Bio family as they lay the late sister of the President to rest on the 16th March.
In the contrary, one of the CSOs, Alphonso Manley supported the review of the prices of the tollgate.
He told MPs from the Committee in Parliament that considering the astronomical increase of prices of fuel and the exchange rate, such have affected the activities of CRSG.
He, therefore, urged the Committee to look into the contract as well as to protect investors who are here to promote the citizens through jobs created.
Alpha Amadu Bah, Chairman of Drivers Union also raised concern on the group five in the price arrangement document.
He said as drivers they had resolved that ten tires trucks to remain at Nle 300 and Nle500 for the trailers with heavy loading.
The Chairman of the Works Committee in Parliament, Hon Bashiru Silikie, said as a committee they will reach the message to the plenary where lawmakers will be looking at the proposed tollgate tariff and will debate on it or and possibly modify it.