The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) has handed over 15 motorbikes to Maritime Traffic Overseers, Regional Managers and Dispatch Riders to strengthen field operations and improve the mobility of its personnel across the country.

The motorbikes are expected to support officers in conducting maritime monitoring, inspections, stakeholder engagements, reporting and timely responses, particularly in districts and hard-to-reach communities.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, SLMA Executive Director Dr. Daniel B. Kaitibi urged the beneficiaries to take proper care of the motorbikes and use them strictly for their intended operational purposes.

“These motorbikes are operational assets entrusted to our officers to enable them to perform their duties more effectively,” Dr. Kaitibi said.

He also called on the beneficiaries to use the assets responsibly, ensure proper maintenance and uphold accountability in their use.

The handover forms part of the SLMA’s efforts to provide field personnel with the resources needed to carry out the Administration’s mandate effectively.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, Regional Manager for Western Area Urban, said the motorbikes would help address some of the logistical challenges faced by field officers.

“Nobody understands the importance of these bikes better than we, the end users, do. We cannot work in hard-to-reach areas if we do not have these,” Kamara said.

He noted that conducting spot checks and other field activities in communities had often been costly and challenging, adding that the new motorbikes would help ease some of those difficulties.

The SLMA expects the mobility support to improve the movement of its field personnel and facilitate maritime monitoring, safety, security and service delivery across the country.