About two hundred Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Sierra Leone have irrevocably condemned recent parliamentary approval of the increment of the Toll Gate Fees in a press conference held on Monday 29th April, 2024, at Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

Members of Parliament unanimously agreed following a relatively uncontroversial debate to adjust the toll tariffs for the US$154 million, 62-kilometer dual-carriage Wellington-Masiaka Toll Road, which opened in 2016 and has a 27-year lifespan.

They also recommended a comprehensive review of the entire concession agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), represented by the Ministry of Works and Public Assets and the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG).

The decision comes after the tabling of the report by the Deputy Leader of Government Business 1, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, who is also Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Works and Public Assets.

Following the parliamentary approval, citizens and the concerned CSOs irrevocably condemned this report that seeks to protect Clause 10.4 only, with a devastating effect if a rise in transport fares and commodity prices of the increment is to take effect 15th May, 2024.

They called on the new Speaker of Parliament to reject this increment on the grounds that the report is a breach of public trust as it failed to address the Transparency and Accountability in breach of Article 16(1) (2) (3) of the Agreement. The 200 CSOs and citizens are shocked and dismayed that the committee had only dealt with Article 10.4 and ignored all other breaches like Article 16(1)(2)(3) that seeks an independent annual audited financial report which should inform both parties in the agreement of gross daily revenue and how much the CRSG has collected from the start to date, has not only been ignored but the report has further concealed the breaches of Article 16(1)(2)(3) leaving the nation in the dark with no transparency and accountability.

According to them, “This has never been done since the start of this agreement to date. That is not only a breach, it is a disservice on the part of the Committee to have wasted all this time and effort just to agree with the Minister in making Article 10.4 the Alpha and Omega of this Agreement.

They believe that increments in categories 1, 2, 3 and 4 will hike transport price pole to pole. For instance, Waterloo to Bombay poda-poda will naturally skyrocket from NLe12 to NLe 20 and provincial transportation will be hiked too, causing more hardship for citizens.
In accordance with Clause 10.4, the House approved the following adjusted tariffs: Group 1 - from NLe 1 to NLe3, Group 2 - from NLe2 to NLe5, Group 3 - from

NLe4 to NLe10, Group 4 - from NLe18 to NLe40, Group 5 - from NLe183 to NLe250 (fuel bowsers 3-4 axles but not trailers), Group 6 - from NLe250 to NLe400 (heavy trucks 10-12 tires but not trailers), and Group 7 - a new category for heavy trucks with approximately 12 tires, trailers, semi-trailers, flat beds, and fuel bowsers with tank trailers at NLe 600.