By Janet A. Sesay
All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer aspirant Sheikh Alhaji Mohamed Omodu Kamara, popularly known as Jagaban, has unveiled twenty-five (25) brand new buses to be used for public transport in Freetown and other parts of the country costing US$4 million.
The brand new Golden Dragon brand buses arrived at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown as the first phase of what Jagaban has described as “an ambitious transport initiative” aimed at augmenting public transportation and easing the transportation burden faced by ordinary Sierra Leoneans.
The Jagaban Movement, accompanied by a delegation from China, inspected and formally received the buses at the port. The vehicles were subsequently cleared and transported to the Wellington depot, where preparations are underway for their deployment.
According to the Jagaban Movement, the initiative is not primarily intended for profit-making, but to contribute to addressing transportation challenges across the country.
The new Golden Dragon buses are equipped with air conditions, freezers, Wi-Fi, mobile-phone charging ports and facilities designed to improve accessibility for persons with disabilities.
The fleet includes buses with seating capacities of 51 and 30 passengers. The initiative is expected to connect major towns and cities across Sierra Leone, with future plans reportedly including regional routes to neighbouring Guinea and Liberia.
One of the major feature of the initiative is Jagaban’s pledge to provide two months of free public transportation nationwide once the full rollout begins.
The initiative is expected to benefit workers, traders, students and families who continue to face rising transportation costs.
Jagaban described the project as a “game-changer”, saying reliable and affordable transportation is essential to economic growth, education, healthcare and national development.
He said the initiative would also create more than 100 direct jobs, including positions for drivers, conductors and technicians. He added that technical training programmes would be introduced to build local expertise in bus maintenance and operations.
“This is about investing in our people and helping Sierra Leone move forward,” Jagaban said, while reaffirming his commitment to supporting other sectors through investments aimed at national development.
The initiative has attracted significant attention from Jagaban’s supporters, who have described it as a major private-sector investment that is directed at addressing one of the country’s pressing challenges. They have also called on the Government of Sierra Leone to support the initiative in the national interest.
As one of the aspirants seeking the APC flagbearer ticket, Jagaban said development requires peace, unity and cooperation among Sierra Leoneans regardless of political differences.
With the arrival of the first 25 buses, the Jagaban Movement says the broader objective is to contribute to a transportation system that is safer, more affordable, accessible and capable of supporting Sierra Leone’s economic development.