They made this observation to the Toll sensitization team headed by the head of Project Management Unit, in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Sahid Koroma (SK) during a grass root engagements with regards the 62 Km toll road linking wellington and Masiaka.
Speaking to the team, Chairman of the petty Traders Union Kono District, William David Sesay said that the said road will bring economic benefits to their district especially so they have to spend long distance to purchase goods from neighboring Guinea.
According to him they prefer the Toll road considering the time they waste to access Guinea passing through Masiaka to Kambia costing huge sum of money stressing that they are very pleased with the infrastructural developments that is taking place in their District.
On the area of the Wellington Masiaka Toll road, the petty trader Chairman affirmed their commitments to support the toll road because they realized that the advantage outweigh the disadvantages.
The only concern they raised was that proper monitoring should be instituted to monitor the activities of the wholesalers.
Reacting to the concern raised by both the petty traders and other stakeholders with regards the toll road replication in the eastern part of Sierra Leone.
Principal Team Leader of the sensitization, Mohamed Sahid Koroma informed the gathering that the role of his Ministry is to educate the general public about the benefits of the Wellington Masiaka and to also get a clear picture the challenges they faced as traders since the introduction of the toll road.
Before commenting on the issue about the Kaikoindu Guinea road, Mr. Koroma took time to explain the toll charges in Sierra Leone compared to that of UK and the sub region.
In the United Kingdom, the head of Projects MOYA said that a car for example is paying 5.90 pounds for the M 6 toll which is equivalent to the tune of sixty thousands Leone (60,000) and that is less than one Dollar.
In Abidjan toll gate, he informed petty traders and on lookers that about 1.5 kilometer-long bridge link across the lagoon in the Ivory coast’s economic capital which coast 270 million euro ($330 Million) which cost for motorists the sum of 500 CFA francs and CFA francs which amount triples our toll.
“The Tema Motorway in Ghana is 19 kilometer which also costs motorists a total amount of 500,000 cedis compared to ours which is 62 km but we are paying less than a dollar per toll gate’.
On the area of the Kaikoindu to Guinea road for it to be upgraded to the status of a toll, Mr. Koroma said that there are members of the private sector who want to pour in their resources in the road sector, but are observing the outcome of the already implemented Wellington Masiaka toll road.
According to him, government has such plans but they want to see the success of the Wellington Masiaka toll road.
The head of Project however commended residents in Kono for the hospitality and for viewing the toll as beneficial to the economic status of the country.
