By Mohamed Kamara -PRO – SLMA
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration through its Safetyand Security Department has just completed a NationwideSensitization with the Office of the National Security (ONS), Sierra Leone Union of Boat Owners Association (SLUBOA),Sierra Leone Metrological Agency (SLMet) and SLP Marine Wing at key riverine communities. The period of this Safety and Security awareness campaign started on 31st of August and ended on the 5th of Septembe,2022.
The targeted areas where Western Area, Northern Province and finally in the South Province. The essence of this sensitization campaign is for sisters’ institutions to passed on messages on Safety, Security and Weather within our riverine communities.
In the Western Area the team visited seven (7) strategic riverine communities such as Tombo Wharf, Kissy Dock Yard Wharf, Goderich Wharf, Shalla Wharf, Aberdeen Wharf and King Jimmy Wharf between the 31st of August and the 2nd of September 2022. Between the 2nd to the 3rd September, the team visited Wharves like Targrin, Bailor, Rukupr, Mambolo, Kassiriand Kychom finally between the 4th and the 5th September theteam again visited wharves likes Yagoi, Gbangbantoke,Matrujong and Gbondapi in the Southern Province.
During the team visit at the Western Area, the Head of the Safety and Security Campaigned team and who also doubles as the Safety Manager at the Sierra Leone MaritimeAdministration, Ansumana Massaquio said that the Safety and Security Sensitization campaigned is to raise awareness on the Safety issues such compliance of the use of manifest by coxswains, loading marks and finally adherence on plying time more especially time of departure and time of arrival of LocalMotorized Vessels (LMVs). According to him said that theseplying times are very important during a period of rescue operations. He said for instance when a vessel left 7 am for Targrin – Lungi and along it way an accident occurs, God forgive, you will find out that the search and rescue operationswill not be difficult for the administration. “But say in another instance when the vessel left at 8pm which is not the normal time for passengers’ vessels to cast off at any wharf when that boat involves in an accident, the rescue operation will bedifficult,” he said. His message of cautioned to the NorthernProvince and Southern Province was the same to that of Western Area.
Mr. Sheiku Turay, the National Chairman of the Sierra Leone Union of Boat Owners Association (SLUBOA) said that he will first of all thank the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration for inviting him on this year Safety and Security Sensitization campaign noting that the theme for this year’s campaign is very educating because the largest beneficiaries will be his men who are both the coxswains and boat owners. He also advised the Sierra Leone Administration through the Safety Department that the Sensitization should be quarterly so that the message of Safety will continue to spread far and wide. During the campaign also the national president also called on his men to adhere on the safety guidelines given by the SLMA because it is the only approved government institution that responsible to take control of inland waters of the country.
Augustus Vandy, Assistant Research Officer attached to the Border Security Department at the Office of National Security (ONS) his message to the riverine communities starting from the Wester Area, Northern Province and Southern Province wasthat, Boat Owners and Coxswains should comply with all the guidelines given by SLMA because ONS has over the years has been receiving intelligence from riverine communities on how LMVS Coxswains transport illicit material into their vessels. ONS Assistance Research Officer said that to put an end to this,government through RSLAF – the Navy Wing has purchased new boat to track LMVS that confide in prohibited material through the sea rout. He further to say that there will be a boarder security patrol within the riverine communities within the country.
“SLMA is raising awareness campaign on Safety and Security and which is good for boat owners and coxswains to follow safety guidelines and if you failed you will have yourself to blame,” he said. He further stressed that ONS is in charge of coordinating security in the country and joining SLMA to raise safety concern issues it is good for the country.
Sgt.Frank Mani representative from the Sierra Leone Police Marine Wing said that their institutions are to investigate criminal issues and charged them to court. He maintained that before charging any criminal offences that happening in the country, what is most important now to do is sensitizationbecause defaulters will have themselves to blame.
Representative from the Sierra Leone Metrological Agency (SLMet) , Majie Williams informed Coxswains and Boat Owners that it is good to know the movement of weather first before they go on voyage. He said High Tides, Low Tides, WaveHeight, Visibility etc are very importance on vessels operations. According to him said that the Agency has noted that some areas did not have wind direction but when he returned to the office, the first thing, he will do is to write a report and submit it to his boss so that areas which not have weather control center will receive.
Stakeholders from all the various wharves expressed satisfactions on the work done by SLMA and by extension ON, SLUBOA, SLMet and SLP Marine Wing for given them messages of caution.
