For Immediate Release
CSOs National Consortium on Public Accountability calls on President Bio to immediately suspend the Minister of Works and Public Assets for deceiving the Principal on the Tollgate Contract Agreement!!
The CSOs National Consortium on Public Accountability is perplexed and malaise over the naive and deceptive statements and submissions of Works and Public Assets Minister, Dr Denis Sandi, on the Tollgate contract Agreement. In our assessment and analyses of the Contract and the views of sound opinions, we noticed that Dr Sandi is just not competent to serve in that capacity and therefore consider him of deceiving his Boss- President Bio.
His appointment in the Ministry of Lands was also nothing good to write home about and has manifested itself in his current position as a Minister of Works and Public Assets. We are therefore calling on the President to do the needful by either sacking or suspending Dr Sandi with immediate effect. The incompetence of Dr Sandi is shown by his weak presentation in the defense of CRSG, to exploit the people of Sierra Leone.
We consider the actions of Dr Sandy as naive, crude, evil, unjustifiable, recalcitrant, destructive and ignorant. As a Minister of Works and Public Assets, Dr. Dennis Sandi has again exhibited a feature of weakness to serve and chose money over mankind.
Putting forward and proposing a new tariff to be increased for an incomplete Toll Gate, is controversially meaningless and inconsistent to the highest point.
In our findings, the new tariff charges have received widespread condemnations and concerns among citizens across the country. As it stands, citizens are undergoing and battling to survive for a day because of the economic turmoil. Already, there are unforeseen economic turpsy turvy, which has made it harder for survival in the country.
The Toll Gate agreement, which was initially established during the tenure of the previous APC government under Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, was a fatal blunder, but it should not be allowed to continue unchecked and unstopped under the administration of President Bio.
However, the Toll Gate Contract Agreement, was a naive and failed legacy of the APC administration, hoping that if implemented accordingly will develop and enhance effective infrastructure in the country. In 2015 the APC government, in collaboration with the China Railway Seventh Group, entered into a Build, Operate and Transfer agreement in order to expand the 62km two-lane highway into a four-lane carriageway, with a project value of $161 millions.
Mr President has the road been completed to a four-lane? It is a big no!! Then why the increase?
On the other hand, it is glaring that campaign messages were built based on this tollgate. Your position from the opposition point of view took a critical stance on the Toll Gate construction, relying on the dubious assumptive claims of the Contract Agreement. Why the renewal of the same marriage certificate?
Reminiscing also, President Bio where is the ‘optional road’? No where to be found, so we are subjected to a compulsory marriage with the CRSG and your so called crude Minister of Works. We have seen Sandi and few other individuals have ignored the position of reviewing this agreement, rather few bad eggs have instead concentrated to be part of the poor agreement, leaving the citizens to continue to wallow in agony, frustration, pain and hopelessness.
Dr Sandi and few infinitesimal number of bad eggs have turned their ugly eyes to a collective syndicate of ‘Brown Envelopes’.
We can authoritatively state that, this Toll Gate Contract Agreement submitted by Dr Sandi and few members in the Cabinet is very shanty and devastating, as it is for the Chinese rather than for the people of Sierra Leone. it is evidently lucid that, it is not found to be in the nation’s interest.
The new tariff increment of Toll prices, scheduled to come into effect on March 1st, has sparked significant terrifying fears and concerns in all sectors, especially in the provinces and Western Rural, as there will be an increase in the transportation fare and the prices of commodities.
In consideration of the current economic challenges facing the nation, an escalation in toll charges would undoubtedly add to the existing burden on citizens, who are already struggling to make ends meet.
Furthermore, the government cannot just propose toll charges without presenting the documents to Parliament and be evaluated by Civil Society Organizations and the Media.
This in itself, is an attempt to avert the tenets of democracy in the country, Government’s priorities and its commitment to the welfare of its citizens. In the face of economic hardships, it is crucial for the government to prioritize policies that will alleviate and reduce suffering in the country rather than exacerbating the burden on ordinary Sierra Leoneans.
As discussions on the Toll charges continue, citizens are urging the government to honor its promise of reviewing the Toll Gate Agreement, and to ensure that the Minister of Works and Public Assets is suspended, effective immediately. Any decision taken in the contrary will face a strong resistance from the people.
Recommendations
- We ask that the Minister of Works be immediately suspended, as he is not competent to present his case to the President and the people of Sierra Leone.
- Put a hold onto this Tariff increment until further notice.
- Include all CSOs in the initial process of the review of this contract agreement.
- We are demanding to see an optional road immediately.
- We ask that the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) completes the four-Lane now, as they have cheated the people of Sierra Leone, since the road is not a four- lane drive.
ACTION
WE INTEND TO PROTEST IN THE OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY OF WORKS AND TO THE CRSG OFFICE
AHMED M. YILLAH
SIGN
TEAM LEAD
©️CSOs National Consortium on Public Accountability