Sierra Leoneans may be brainwashed again into believing that the contractor, China Seventh Railway Group (CSRG) is responsible for the increase in toll fare scheduled to take effect next month.
If government decision stands, Sierra Leoneans will see a high toll fares accounting for over 100%, and the payment will start in 1st March, this year.
It is a dangerous situation for a government grappling with legitimacy crisis owing to stolen elections.
State officials would not like Sierra Leoneans especially their constituents know that the new price come from them, and the only way out is to hide behind the contractors hoping to enjoy a cosy relationship with the public.
But, it will be difficult for the people to cope with a situation in which substantial chunk of their resources go into the transport system.
With the new prices, a truck which used to pay Le170, 000 (one hundred and seventy thousand Leones) in the past will pay Le750, 000 (seven hundred and fifty thousand Leones) in the new arrangement.
Toll fares for cars, tricycles and haulage vehicles have also shot up to a record high with the poor bearing the burden. No car will dodge the toll as alternative routes have been blocked.
Drivers will shift the burden to the suffering masses by raising the transport fare to a rate not yet known. It is a dangerous sit…
However, right campaigners have called on drivers not to ply but stage a sit-at-home protest for government to reverse its decision.
As the debates intensify, government spin doctors and propagandists have made it appear that the increase was done by CSRG to get back their money as government signed a 25-year agreement with them.
Frankly enough, the Chinese contractors have never increased a dime on the toll fare upon completion of the road years back. They maintain the price as contained in the agreement throughout the APC days and continued it even after President Julius Maada Bio took over state governance.
Although dust might be thrown in the eyes of others, a vast majority of Sierra Leoneans are quite sure that the toll fares are raised by government through one of its ministers, Denis Sandy.
Sandy, Public Works Minister, announced the new increase at a press briefing held at the Foreign Affairs ministry few days back.
No hypocrisy about it; the Bio regime is short of funds to deliver services to the people, and would leave no avenue unexplored to raise money with public institutions as victims.
As part of a sustained income-generation scheme, Sierra Leoneans saw, for the first time, a government service that is more expensive than one in the private sector. The ‘WAKA FINE’ buses for instance, demand a fare higher than one demanded by the commercial buses.
Instead of Le5,000 (five thousand Leones) which is the prevailing transport fare, government buses called for Le10, 000, (ten thousand Leones) for any spot a passenger alights between PZ in central Freetown to Calaba Town in the east regardless of the distance.
Despite high public backlash, government presses ahead with its income generation drive as it desperately needs money to pay workers’ salaries and allowances just to keep an unpopular government going.
For several years, telecoms companies especially Africell have been hard pressed by government cutting off all promotions which the people used to enjoy.
The move had a negative impact on the companies as the customer base contracted with government calling for more corporate social responsibility.
Money which was spent on free calls during ‘friends and family’ promos is now reserved for government.
Outside the telecoms world, government is also seeking fortune in other sectors with fuel importing companies being the main targets. A litre of fuel sold Le6, 000 (six thousand Leones) is now Le30, 000 (thirty thousand Leones), a higher price compared to prices in other countries in the Mano River basin.
Prices for fuel in neighbouring Liberia and Guinea are far cheaper than the one in Sierra Leone, a move that has raised endless debates among the public, but without arriving at a definite answer.
The question of why is fuel more expensive in Sierra Leone than other African countries when they buy from the same source and the same price has been posed most frequently, but the answer is left in the hands of government which regulates the fuel trade and imposes taxes.
To cushion the effect of poverty, the past government used to offer tax holidays and sometimes subsidies to keep fuel prices as low as possible.
It is believed that once the prices are affordable, the transport system could be made easy for the commuters whose interest government should always protect.
It is however difficult for a cash-strapped government to accept such conditions.
To add more weight to the consolidated fund, government has also stopped to subsidise food imports and same time raising taxes to somewhat unbearable level.
Faced with such situation, the importers are forced to increase prices of food, a cost borne by the consumers.
Little wonder that the price for a 50kg bag of rice is close to Le1m and a cup hovering between Le4, 000 and Le5, 000.
Fear is rife that prices of basic food stuff and fuel may soon hit a record price if authorities continue their revenue generation drive. Government also recently moved from the fuel trade to the mining sector with Sierra Rutile as another victim.
Owing to pressure from government, the company has recently shut down operations after informing all staff to stay at home in the meantime until modalities are worked out. Although the company did not give details about its sudden closure, such decision could not be divorced from persistent government demands for either bailouts, handouts or harsh taxes.
It could be a repetition of SL Mining now Marampa Mines saga which was forced to close when it failed to respond to a government demand of $1m. Recently, Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), a company sets to industrialise Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector is almost closing down after it has been ripped off.
Even the energy sector has not escaped government’s hustling tactics as the prices of EDSA (Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority) top-ups have been recently increased beyond imagination, and calls to adjust the price has fallen on deaf ears.
With the new prices, government is also making money to finance its activities albeit in low key. Despite the high prices, energy supply still remains eclectic as some communities remain in electricity blackouts for days.
A recent announcement by government for house owners to pay for boreholes in their compounds would have been the last straw to break the camel’s back had government stood by it.
Sierra Leoneans were also taken aback when the announcement for payment of boreholes came as such duty falls within the mandate of Freetown City Council and not central government if it were legal.
Currently, government is however tight-lipped over the new borehole price owing to severe public condemnation.
However, government’s rapacious tendencies continue and sooner or later, Leon Rock and Marampa Mines could be next as government throws challenge every day to the international community over stolen elections.
Donor support is not forthcoming after Bio allegedly connived with the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh to steal the people’s mandate.
Consequently, the UN, EU, US, UK, Commonwealth, African Union, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other inter-governmental institutions have withheld financial support from Bio’s government.
They will come in only after democracy shall have been restored, but Bio’s future in politics remains uncertain as his chance of winning in a free and fair election remains slim.
In the face of growing animosity, Bio would like to occupy the seat of the Presidency at all cost and against all odds caring less about drawing daggers with the international community.
But, the suffering masses will continue to suffer more as seen in the toll fare increase. What plan would government unleash again?