By Ragan M Conteh

 After serious public debates on new tariff increase, the Chinese Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) will today 15th May 2024 commence the tollgate new tariff collection.

About a month ago, the company had prepare and forwarded the new charges to parliament for parliamentary blessings.

During the public hearing on the tollgate proposals in Committee Room One, some civil society activists disclosed that increasing tollgate charges will add more economic burden on the ordinary citizens.

Edmond Abu Jr of the Native Consortium said there are lots of specifications in the agreement that CRSG had never met.

He said the contract agreement is clear about the increase of tariff, adding that the company should release traffic data before it makes an increase of price on the tollgate.

He stated that certain provisions in the contract document were not properly followed by the company.                                                                                                                                During the last sitting in Committee Room One, the Speaker of Parliament, Dr Chernor Bundu had disclosed that other nations have tollgate with alternative routes but in the case of Sierra Leone, he said then, tollgates have no alternative routes were provided for the Wellington-Masiaka tollgate.

He said the meeting was to look at the review of the tollgate tariff as  well as looking at the basis at which the review takes place.

The speaker went on that the purpose of the meeting was because the people are very much concern about the increment.

The speaker pointed out that, the review can only happen if the data and it authenticity of the data is another thing.

Speaker Bundu further said it[ toll gate agreement] is a loan is given to the people of Sierra Leone adding that it is prudent for members of the public to know what has been repaid and that it is also important to the people to know the current status of the loan. The speaker further said that the repayment of the tollgate started even before the completion of the road.

He stressed that the vehicles playing the routes have no provision for alternative routes for those that are not interested in using the tollgate.

“No choice is given for road users,” he asserted.

The speaker maintained that the meeting is also to look at the agreement that the tariff was integration.

“If there is any alteration of the current tollgate charges, it must be brought to parliament for ratification.”

The speaker also spoke about the timeliness when looking at the economic situation of the country.

In his statement, the CRSG Manager, Mr Bingo, said as a company they have incurred many losses over the years because of the increased in price of the tollgate.

Mr Bingo also spoke on the importance of the project in both national and international level.

He also mentioned some of the challenges it is having now especially with regards the administrative losses due to rapidly escalating foreign exchange rate.

He further spoke on the vehicles damaging the road which affect the project.

The Minister of Works and Public Asset said, Denis Sandy gives the status of the contracts and how the agreement document speaks about the review of the tollgate charges.

The Minister further disclosed the proposed tollgate tariff and asked Parliament to look into it and for the best interest of the company and the people of Sierra Leone.

The CSO, Edmon Abu Jr said the tariff should not be reviewed, stating that CRSG has violated the agreement.

He maintained that the company has never disclosed their financial statement on the vehicle tariffs and they have failed to construct the market as per agreement.

The Leader of government business in Parliament, Hon Matthew Sahr Nyuma stated that parliament has the right to protect all interests including the investors.

“This is a continuation of a listening ear to get the interests and concerns about this important issue,” he said.