By Ragan M. Conteh
The increase of taxes on food commodities, transport fares, tollgate as well as the folding up of companies and among major challenges have made poor Sierra Leoneans under the New Direction administration to confront themselves with newest and saddest realities .
Times are no longer sweet for the already suffering masses.
The present situation has become perilous for many citizens who cannot even afford their daily bread.
The bread and butter economy of the government seems to be hanging on the balance, as millions of Sierra Leoneans describe the moment as “economic harsh realities” for many poor Sierra Leoneans.
The increases in tollgate prices have generated other staggering sufferings for the poor who, as prices double up, will foot the bill for the drivers as they pay higher fares.
Definitely the transportation cost to and from Waterloo and the provinces will shoot up in the coming months owing to the hike in tollgate charges.
Many people have perceived the increments as ploy to add suffering to the very poor man.
In a tweet, in response to the Wednesday 14th February 2024 Africa 24 newspaper front page headline which reads: “Unbearable Sufferings Arise,” an official from the Strategic Communications Unit in the Ministry of Information and Civil Education, Abu Bakarr Joe Sesay, defended the government that “Unbearable suffering is everywhere across the world now as points the problem to be a global one.
“Have you thought of investments collapsing and dozens of Sierra Leoneans losing their jobs and livelihoods versus these slight increases that are made to keep businesses afloat? It is never that any government will wish to bring suffering on its people. The situation is just what it is, [it’s] totally outside government’s control. I rest my case,” he wrote.
As a way of reaction to the government increment of the tollgate price, the Leader of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party in Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo said: “Any alteration on the toll fees without reverting to Parliament is unlawful. These fees were debated and passed by the 4th Parliament. Therefore, he said, the minister doesn’t have the right to alter these fees without the approval of Parliament. We are a nation of law.”
The Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, during the weekly government press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room, disclosed that starting March 1st, 2024 the prices of vehicles passing the toll gates will astronomically increase.
According to the Minister, those vehicles that used to pay Nle 1 will be required to pay Nle 3 and those paying Nle4 will pay Nle10 respectively.
What is more disturbing that the minister had explained, according o many people, is that, those buses and heavy-duty trucks plying toll gate routes will now pay Nle700 while others are paying lump sum of NLe250 and above.
Sierra Leoneans who followed the press conference had stated that, the toll gate will further bring untold sufferings to the citizens.
And citizens have lamented that such sporadic increase of prices on toll gates would not only affect the livelihood of the masses but would further put an economic burden on the ordinary people.
“Prices of goods will now increase, building materials and other food stuff will increase, resulting to a serious problem on the masses.”