By Foday Jalloh
The Sierra Leone Police has started their operation ‘Free-Flow’ within the Central Business District of the capital and its environs with the aim of decongesting major streets to allow the free flow of traffic.
Taking off with it was the eviction of traders from Sani Abacha Street, where police ruthlessly engaged vulnerable petty traders in street battle. Police fired teargas at traders most of whom were women who only sell to make their daily livings.
The said operation continues to stimulate cry from street traders at Sani Abacha, ECOWAS, Garrison, Wilberforce, Howe and Rawdon Streets accusing the police of depriving them from their source of earning.
According to traders, they had been trading on streets for years paying daily market dues, yet the Freetown City Council is unable to provide a standard market for city traders.
Traders described the operation as ‘untimely’, especially when the reopening of schools is just a skip to catch coupled with the financial burden on parents ahead of the reopening schools all squarely placed on their shoulders.
Sierra Leone Police National Traffic Coordinator, DPS Alimamy Koroma cited what he described as rampant streets trading, increase in street garages, abandon vehicles and many immigrants flooding the country without any national documents have contributed to increase in crime rates and make the city an eye sour.
According to D.S.P. Koroma, the operation is geared towards addressing some of the highlighted concerns.
He told the FORUM NEWS-SL that the SLP held several meetings with petty traders, commercial motorbike and tricycle riders, commercial vehicle drivers and owners of street garages whom the operation is currently targeting. He explained that joint public sensitization was undertaken by the FCC, driver and traders’ unions for the past three months.
Commissioner General, Traffic Division, Monfred Williams in a snap interview at his office, Central Police Division in Freetown, informed FORUM NEWS-SL that as a force, they are responsible for the up keeping of law and order in the country.
Williams confirmed that the SLP has held several meetings and sensitizations with the various targeted groups for the past three months and that it’s time to enforce the laws.
In the traffic sector, we don’t just want to continue arresting law breakers, but to also identify reasons as to why drivers tend to be lawless, Williams said.
As an institution, we are now using the appropriate method to save the situation, as time goes on, we will revive the system, for now the police are out on operation to weed out traders, bike riders from occupying the CBD.
He said defaulters will be arrested and drag to court for defying the law, therefore, I am encouraging all and sundry to respect the law as traffic officer and other wings of the police will be on track to enforce the law.
