Concord Times (Freetown)
Mohamed Massaquoi And Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh
23 June 2009
Freetown — Minister of transport and aviation Monday expressed displeasure at members of the Sierra Leone motor drivers and transport workers union for what he described as a strike action which led thousands of commuters in Freetown to trek their way to work or business places.
While addressing members of the union at the national stadium, Alieu Pat-Sowe said it was unfortunate for drivers to have taken such a punitive action on a Monday when secondary school pupils and students of tertiary institutions are sitting for their promotional examinations.
"How can you demonstrate on a Monday when you know very well that students are on their examinations?" Pat-Sowe asked. "I was so annoyed when I heard that drivers have gone on a strike again. If you have any problem, direct them to us so that appropriate actions could be taken."
He said his ministry has always worked with the union to ensure that their needs are addressed but drivers down their tools for a meeting scheduled to present their executive to the general membership.
President of the union, Alhaji Abu Bakarr Fofanah, denied any strike action as claimed by certain individuals, stating that drivers only met to present their executive to the union's general membership.
However, some drivers used the opportunity of an encounter with the minister to express their grievances at the way and manner they are being treated by the police, city council, traffic wardens and the judiciary.
Umaru Kamara, who is representing drivers from the northern region, said they expected traffic wardens to have resolved the continuous harassment experienced in the traffic sector. But instead, they had become a major contributing factor to the retrogression of drivers in the country.
According to Alhaji Fofanah, there are lots of challenges before his administration which cannot be addressed single-handedly. He said they will not allow drivers to drive without licenses and that the police need to understand their constraints.
"We want the traffic wardens and the police to know that we do not have genuine spare parts in this country so they should overlook minor offences. My executive has hired the services of a lawyer in Freetown to defend drivers. I have asked the regional offices, as well, to do the same," he added.
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