BACKGROUND
The
Ministry of Transport and Aviation is responsible for ensuring safe and
reliable transport systems in Sierra Leone. The Ministry exercises authority
over the three main modes of transportation Road, Marine and Air
transportation.
While
all these modes are regulated by statutory bodies, the Ministry maintains
oversight over policy development and implementation over the various
autonomous and semi-autonomous parastatals established in the Transport Sector
namely:
❏
Aviation/Air
❖
Sierra
Leone Airports Authority (SLAA)
❖
Sierra
Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA)
❏
Sea/Marine
❖
Sierra Leone Maritime Administration
(SLMA)
❖
Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA)
❖
Sierra Leone National Shipping
Company (SLNSC)
❏
Road/Land
❖
Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority
(SLRSA)
❖
Sierra Leone Road Transport
Corporation (SLRTC)
VISION
The transport Ministry seeks to promote the well being of quality transport and effective road networks. The transport Ministry also ensures that people have access to well functioning safe and reasonable priced transportation system.
MISSION
The Ministry of Transport and Aviation’s mission is to develop policies and provide policy guidelines for delivery of safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable Maritime, Land transportation and aviation systems throughout Sierra Leone.
MANDATE
- Creates an integrated and safe transportation network that incorporates all modes of transportation that reflect regional priorities, and provides a strong foundation for economic growth.
- Maintain and improve the provincial highway system by ensuring safe, affordable and efficient movement of people and goods provincially, nationally and internationally.
- The Ministry values its stakeholders in the transport business (private and public). The Ministry is open and promote equality and listens to the opinions of everyone involved in the transport sector. The Ministry follows the rules that have been commonly agreed upon.
- The Ministry is the pioneer of the transportation sector and dare to distance its self from the old. The Ministry does not invade responsibility and always plan for the future.
COORPORATION
- The Ministry works on issues that are common to everybody and takes initiative in exchanging information openly and in good time. The Ministry holds stakeholders in the transport business activities in high esteem and listens to all transport stakeholders and provides them the opportunity to impact society.
POLICY OBJECTIVES
- Ensure safe and smooth everyday travel and maintain competitiveness in the transport sectors
- To achieve a transport system that supports and assists long-term economic growth and improves the economic and social well-being.
- Ensure the development of the transport system in light of the realities of the global economy and the national fiscal situations.
- Deliver the public transport investment programmes in line with the policy set down.
- Enhance the achievement in providing a policy framework, regulation and implementation models.
- Enhancing transport safety in coordination with key stakeholders.
- Development and implementation of programmes for the development of maritime and inland waterway transport.
- Enhance the provision of inland ferry services on the Provinces Rivers and lakes.
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
The transport sector consists of three modes, namely, road, maritime and air transportation. All of these modes are being regulated by statutory bodies whilst the Ministry handles policy matters for the effective execution of the mandate of the under-mentioned parastatals and departments supervised by the Ministry.
- Ensure safe and smooth everyday travel and maintain competitiveness in the transport sectors
- Sierra Leone Ports Authority
- Sierra Leone Maritime Administration
- Sierra Leone Airports Authority
- Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority
- Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority
- Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation
- Sierra Leone National Shipping Company
- Meteorological Department
- Airport Transfer Unit (ATU)
- Freetown International Airport Project-Mamamah ( FIAP)
- Transport Infrastructure Development Unit (TIDU)
The overall goal of the Ministry is to increase access through the provision of transport services and connecting rural farming population and urban poor to market centers and to provide social and economic services through, efficient, affordable and sustainable transport systems through the effective coordination of the above mentioned implementing agencies resonated by policy directives and effective monitoring of the activities of these agencies.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION
Under the
current leadership of the Ministry, the following significant gains have been
achieved:
Ø Established
a National Fleet Management Policy
a.
The transition of power from the former
administration to the New Direction Government exposed looting of Government
vehicles by senior Government officials and former Ministers. Upon assumption
of office, the leadership of the Ministry noticed that procurement, management,
and disposal of vehicles across Government was unsystematic and was
uncoordinated. This led us to develop a National Vehicle Fleet Policy (NVFP)
for use across Government. The Policy geared towards controlling the cost of
procurement, management, and disposal of all Government Vehicles across MDAs.
Ø Rolled
out a vehicle loan scheme to public workers
a.
Within the ambit of the NVFP, the
ministry has successfully rolled out a vehicle loan scheme to all qualified
public employees with the objective of subsequently achieving a zero-fleet
policy. This policy, over five years will save government USD 120 000 000.00 in
vehicle procurement costs, and USD 175 000 000 in vehicle maintenance costs.
Ø Secured
funding for the transformation of the Urban transit system in Freetown
a.
Secured a US$50 Million grant from the
World Bank to support the modernization of the public transport through the
Sierra Leone Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (SLIRUMP). This
followed the creation of a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) Within the
Ministry to ensure the proper management and implementation of the Project.
The
IRUM Project will deliver a coordinated and modernized Public Transport
interventions across selected corridors with visible deliverables as follows:
a)
Market and Transit
Terminal at the West and East End of Freetown. (i.e., one at Lumley and one at
Approved School - Wellington. To date, designs for both the
terminal and market for the West Corridor have been completed and approved by
the World Bank. Procurement processes leading to the award of contract and
Social and Environmental Safeguards matters are all at an advanced level of
implementation.
b)
Roads Improvement Works
across the corridors of Lumley, Wilberforce, Congo Cross, Aberdeen Road, Murray
Town Junction and Ferry Junction Intersections, to ensure the free flow of
traffic across these corridors. We have so far signed the
contract and handed the site over to the
Contractor. Work is ongoing at Congo Cross and other project locations
c)
Eight (8) Pedestrian Overpasses at
selected locations in Freetown. Phase I will construct four (4) as
follows:
Two at the East-end of Freetown: (Shell and Jui)
Two at the West-end of Freetown: (Wilberforce and Lumley). To
date, the designs are ready and procurement
processes leading to the award of contract is far advanced.
Ø Successfully
procured needed vehicles for government services
a.
50 school buses which have been handed
over to the various Local Councils across the country: The procurement of these 50 school buses is
to support the President’s vision for Free Quality Education in Sierra Leone.
b.
Successfully procured and delivered 30
vehicles and 100 motorbikes for operations of NACOVERC to help in the fight
against COVID 19.
c.
Successfully procured vehicles for the
following offices to enhance operational efficiency.
·
Office of the President
·
Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers
·
Senior Government Functionaries such as
(The Leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission, The Leadership of the House
of Parliament)
Ø Established
a technical wing at the ministry of Transport for the first time ever to
enhance service delivery.
a.
Transformed the Policy, Planning and
Project Unit of the Ministry to a Professional wing: The transformation in the
Ministry is geared towards quality service delivery in the transport sector by
providing technical support to the Ministry on coordination and monitoring
performance of all Parastatals under the Ministry.
Ø Established a
workflow process geared towards synchronising the activities of the agencies that
are within purview of the Ministry.
o
The MTA has created a coordinated workflow process
that supports deliverables within the institutions, in line with the
Medium-Term National Development Plan and the New Direction manifesto. By the
close of 2020, the convergence of professionals from the different agencies in
the transport sector for policy discussions were requested to send in their work
plans for 2021. Each sub-sector presented a work plan in a guided framework to
ensure a rigorously monitoring mechanism to achieve their deliverables.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE AVIATION SUB-SECTOR
The
achievements for the period 2018 to date of the Sierra Leone Airport Authority
and Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority include but not limited to the
following:
Ø Attained
24-hour electricity supply at the airport
o
the Sierra Leone Airport Authority, through the
Ministry of Transport and Aviation, procured a 1.1 megawatts generator set to
complement the EDSA power generation potential.
Ø Improved fire
safety measures at the airport from fire category 7 to 8
o
through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the
Sierra Leone Airport Authority
procured a 6x6 Panther fire engine that is dependent on standards set by ICAO
and was verified and validated by the SLCAA in 2019.
Ø Achieved
adequate parking facility at the airport.
o
The Authority has implemented Automated Carpark
facility at the airport.
Ø Introduced a
new source of revenue for the airport.
o
The automated car park operates as a paid parking
system that has raised four hundred and
five million eight hundred and ninety-five thousand leones (Le
405,895,000) since its inception in 2018.
Ø Improved security
at the airport from an ICAO rating of 63.4% to 71.6.
o
This
current rating is far above the African/ Indian regional average of 55%.
o
The West Minster Aviation Security, in
collaboration with the SLAA, has installed an Explosive Trace Detection
o
a sanitizing tunnel has been installed to forestall
the spread of the coronavirus disease.
Ø Secured
private funding to transform the airport into a modern airport.
o the Ministry,
through the SLAA, in collaboration with the OPII, signed a contract with Suma
Group of Company and has handed over the site for a new terminal and related
facilities to include runway rehabilitation and expansion of the parking
facility of the Airport.
Ø Improved the
connectivity of Freetown to the outside world
o Succeeded in
bringing two additional liner air carriers to Sierra Leone. Air Cote d’Ivoire and
Trans Air started routine calls to the airport on September 23rd,
2020 and 13th March 2021, respectively.
Ø Achieved
international aviation standards
o
The SLCAA Act of 2017 was reviewed and amended to
fulfil the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to conform and
align with international best practices.
Ø Human Capital
Development achievement.
o
Sierra Leone can now boast of the first female
Aerodrome Engineer and a qualified Aircraft Engineer, respectively. She was
certified in September 2018 by Singapore Aviation Academy as an Aerodrome
engineer, whilst the first-ever Aircraft Engineer was certified in December 2018
by Ethiopian Aviation Academy.
Ø Safety and
Security being an oversight function of the CAA, we have procured two
surveillance vehicles to enhance the surveillance capacity of the SLCAA.
Ø Signed 26
bilateral agreements that has improved security at the airport.
o
As to date, the security rating has increased from
63.4% to 71.6%, which is far above the African/ Indian above the regional
average and slightly below the global average of 75%.
Ø Established
an accident investigation unit
o
Another major achievement is establishing the
Accident Investigation Group (AIG) for the first time in Sierra Leone under the
New Direction administration which will investigate Aircraft accidents and
incidents.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MARINE SUB-SECTOR
In a bid to
revive the Maritime Industry across the country, the Sierra Leone Maritime
Administration, Sierra Leone Ports Authority and Sierra Leone National Shipping
Company has engaged in the following:
Ø Created job
opportunities
o
The Administration has signed an agreement that
will see over 400+ Sierra Leonean Seafarers On-Board Sierra Leonean flag
vessels.
Ø Increased
capacity for search and rescue missions in Sierra Leone waters
o
the Administration has also secured Five (5) Zodiac
Search and Rescue Boats to serve the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration.
o
The Search and Rescue Operations with a modernised
State of the Art Radio Communication system will cover the entire country's
terminal stations, including coverage on the Search and Rescue Boats.
o
Several other items, including Life jackets, Hard
Hats, Safety Boots, Overalls etc., have also been secured for distribution
nationwide to all our staff and passengers travelling the Sierra Leone Waters.
Ø First Search
and Rescue Centre and Regional Headquarter in Bonthe established.
Ø The
Administration has secured funding for the rehabilitation and operation of the
Cape Sierra Lighthouse, which will serve as an Aid to Navigation for ships and
maritime security.
Ø Improved
safety at Targrin terminal
o The Authority
undertook improvement works on the Targrin Ferry terminal waiting hall to meet
customer needs;
Ø The Authority
has also succeeded in developing a Port Security Plan to aid management on the
port facility's security.
o
The Port Security Plan has been endorsed by the
SLMA and successfully implemented recommendations from the visiting US Coast
guards as compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security
(ISPS) Code. Sierra Leone is now a whitelisted port.
Ø Erected a new
berth, length 275 meters, at the Freetown port
o
the SLPA completed the erection of a new
multi-purpose berth (275 metres long and 13 metres in draft), thereby accommodating
more and larger vessels, cargo throughout and reducing turnaround time.
Ø Introduced a
twenty-four (24) hour pilotage.
Ø The Authority
has also succeeded in developing a cargo tracking mechanism from the port of
loading to the port of discharge, which has increased customer's confidence and
enhanced efficient and effective cargo handling by the port.
Ø improved
customer confidence and the Authority's corporate image
o
The Authority refined the customer care desk to
address customer complaints/needs
Ø Formed
partnerships chattering companies
o
To operationalize the Sierra Leone National
Carrier's Act 2012, the Management of the SLNSC has signed Partnership
Agreements with different Vessel Chartering Companies to commence chartering
vessels for Kingho Investment Company Limited on behalf of SLNSC.
Ø Created an
operational manual
o
To enhance service delivery, the SLNSC formulated
the Commercial Operations Manual to eliminate leakages in operations.
Ø Increased the
number of customers from 17 to 31
o
The SLNSC, in collaboration with the MTA, embarked
on increased marketing activities (advertising and business promotion), which
has now restored the corporate image of the company and is increasing the
percentage of customers in the private sector.
Ø Reduced
clearing lead times from 30 days to 14 days.
o
The SLNSC collaborated with the MTA, MoF, NCP,
SLPA, NRA and other third-party service providers to streamline processes.
Ø Became member
of the Baltic International Maritime Council
o
The Sierra Leone National Shipping
Company is now a registered member of the Baltic International Maritime
Council (BIMCO), which aids in promoting human capital development within
the organization.
Ø The company
is self-sufficient for once
o
The company's management ensured control of the
cash flow to meet its operating expenses without reverting to the government to
pay staff emoluments.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ROAD SUB-SECTOR
As one of the social service providers to drive the
national agenda, the central Government has provided various supports to the road
sector to ameliorate its challenges over the years. Hence, the achievements of
the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority and Sierra Leone Road Transport
Corporation from 2018 to date are as follows:
Ø Decentralized
operations, reaching more Sierra Leoneans
o
The Authority has implemented the various
outstations' electronic interconnectivity across the country to interlink and
decentralise its operations.
Ø Re-established
a toll-free call centre
o
The Authority has also re-activated the Emergency
Toll-Free 244 Call Centre to respond to road safety incidents and situations
promptly.
Ø Simplified
fines collection
o
The Authority currently operates an Orange Money
Platform to facilitate the payment of traffic offences fines by defaulters
after the Commercial Banks' closure, where offenders must make these payments.
There is also a Bulk SMS system where relevant information is communicated to
customers regarding their application status and notifying them when the
application has been processed.
Ø Improved
vehicle traceability
o
The Authority has also developed an App that
enables the Road Safety Corps to identify vehicles that have been issued
traffic offence tickets.
o
Introduced digitized and securitized life card
system that will help traffic control personnel to easily identify vehicles.
Ø Improved
traffic education for road users
o
The Public Relations Unit maintained its outreach
media activities to the public to increase the knowledge base of road users
about the proper use of the roads and the road's language.
o
For the first time, the Authority has also ensured
the popularisation of SLRSA Traffic education which aids drivers in
understanding the road signs before undertaking a driver training test.
o
The Authority has enhanced information management
on road safety matters by popularising the passenger manifest, ensuring all
inter-city transport vehicles now have passengers' full details.
Ø The Authority
has introduced and launched the digital vehicle record card and electronic
fitness.
Ø Digitized
service delivery process
o
The Authority has also installed an electronic
Vehicle Number Plate Ordering System, which facilitates the ICT issuance of
license number plates to vehicles, which has curbed the illegal printing of
vehicle number plates.
Ø Improve
revenue collection by 15%
o
The Agency introduced categorization of vehicles
based on cubic capacities and assessed registration fees based on these
categories as opposed to a single fee on very broad categories of vehicles.
o
Introduced a new revenue stream: Lost life card
Ø Established a
first in the country all automobile school
o
This initiative is geared toward achieving the New
Direction goal of building the human capital of the country. The agency has
established a fully functioning, to be commissioned on June 1 2021, and an
associated garage, an automobile school to train and certify automobile
mechanics and repair personnel.
Ø Introduced a
new product: Haulage
o
In complimenting the President's New Direction
Vision on diversification, the SLRTC has put plans in place to expand its
operations by entering haulage transport services in the immediate term. A
well-planned partnership structure with Ministries and other Organizations in
the transportation of educational materials, condiments and food items for the
school feeding programme, drugs, bauxites, aluminium, etc., to designated
locations, has been developed benefit of the concern institutions and for the
country in general.
Ø New bus
terminals
o
The Management, through the MTA, has acquired
landed properties in Kenema, Bo, No. 2 River, Masiaka, Clay Factory, Rogbere
and at Moyamba Junction for the constructions of bus stations, bus depots at
stop-over areas. Plans are underway to acquire land in Makeni and Waterloo for
the same purpose.
Ø Compliments
basic and middle education transport system
o
SLRTC actively complements the school bus service
by providing parking space, spare parts storage facility, and monitoring the
buses for successful operation, specifically in the Freetown municipality.