As Parliament Halts Racketeering Fees…
One of the agents revealed that the management of SLRSA has artificially created a scarcity of driver’s licenses by ceasing all payments for licenses, thereby unlawfully collecting the same amount as the new license fees that were stopped by Parliament of Sierra Leone.
According to the agent, the decision to stop accepting payments was made by the Authority for reasons known only to them. “I am an agent facilitating license payments for drivers, and I have been losing sleep as we were informed by Authority staff that they are acting based on the instructions of the Executive Director, Reverend Smark K Senesie, not to accept payments.
He further disclosed that they collectively agreed to refund customers’ money, as the instructions from the head are final. To their surprise, they discovered that the institution was still accepting payments from those willing to pay the revised fees that were rejected by Parliament.
Brima Conteh, a commercial taxi driver, described this situation as the epitome of corruption. “How can you refuse payments because Parliament did not approve the new license fee? My license has expired, and we are being pursued not only by the police but also by officers from the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority for licenses. Where am I supposed to operate without being pursued? It is time for us to protest against the current leadership of SLRSA.”
It is worth noting that the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) announced an increase in the tariffs for Five Years driver’s licenses, effective Monday, April 22, 2024.
According to SLRSA, this decision was made after a thorough evaluation of the current economic conditions, inflation rates, and the necessity to uphold high standards in road transport services.
Breakdown of driver’s licenses by categories and increments:
– A Motorbike Riders License only: New cost 560
– Tricycle License only: New cost 560
– AA+ Motorbikes and Tricycles: New cost 560
– B For Driving Cars, Jeeps, Vans: New cost 1,100
– C For driving trucks only: New cost 1,506
– D Excavators, Earth Moving Equipment: New cost 1,200
– AB Motorbikes, cars, Jeeps: New cost 1,450
– BC Cars, Jeeps, trucks: New Cost 1,500
– CD Trucks and Earth Moving equipment: New cost 1,550
– ABC Motorbikes, Cars, Jeeps, Trucks: New cost 1,600
– BCD Jeeps, Trucks, Earth moving Equipment: New Cost 1,650
– ABCD All Category (Professional): New Cost 1,700
This decision by the Authority has faced severe criticism from the public, including prominent human rights activist Edmond Abu, who condemned SLRSA for the recent price increase of driver’s licenses following the resignation of the former Speaker of Parliament.
“SLRSA is exploiting the resignation of the former Speaker of Parliament to further raise the fees for all license categories as of today. Mr. Transport Minister and Parliamentary Committee on Transport, your silence speaks volumes,” he expressed.
In a phone call response, SLRSA Executive Director Reverend Smark K Senesie stated that his reason for not engaging with the media was due to his illness for the past month.