As the public is yet to come to terms with the true ownership and origin of the Waka Fine Bus Services, the public is calling on the government, specifically state actors responsible for roads management and transportation, that prevented all commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles from using the main Bai Bureh, Wilkinson Road and some other major roads in capital plied by the Waka Fine Buses en route to the Central Bus Station and other parts of the City. This arrangement is to facilitate the swift movement of the Waka Fines busses, restricting the use of some streets by other commercial transports.
Apart from the one hundred percent increase in transport fare charged for using the Waka Fine busses and the non-responsiveness of concerned authorities to the cry of the already improvised citizens, the Waka Fine busses have not only imposed untold suffering on poor road users but also deprived them of their fundamental and constitutional right to access public some roads.
Public goods and services are provided by government to its people to be enjoyed by all, devoid of any rivalry and excitability. The deprivation of citizens by the Waka Fine arrangement, particularly not using some roads during rush hours, as well as school children not an abuse of their constitutional rights but also expose them to life-threatening situations like accidents.
Before the coming of Waka Fine busses, government couldn’t provide the much need transportation for its people. It was the private sector that was providing such transportation services. So why driving the thousands of vehicles used as public transport that were cushioning the difficulties of lack of effective transportation system just for the sake of the few Waka Fine buses?
One business woman, Mariatu Sesay, said that there have been many road accidents along routes involving school-going children and grown-up due to the road size especially around Brima Lane and Black Hall Road. Bockarie Alieu, a school teacher, described prioritizing road use for Waka Fine busses is myopic and insensitive as any responsible government should first of all consider the negative and positive intent and unintended outcomes of any policy or initiative before implementing, urging the government to drop such road use at once.
Whilst still being skeptical about the true ownership of the Waka Fine Buses, citizens are calling for the restoration of their constitutional right by allowing free commuting on these roads by all to avoid further accidents and ensure safe movement of citizens to their workplaces, schools and business places.
