By Alvin Lansana Kargbo
In a recent press release issued on August 17, 2023 by the Sierra Leone Police, introduces a set of new parking regulations have ignited concerns among garage owners who rely on public roads to conduct their businesses. The regulations, effective on 1st September, 2023, prohibit the parking of vehicles, motorcycles, and tricycles on public roads. Furthermore, garage owners are now forbidden from utilizing any part of the roads to store their vehicles. The announcement stresses the importance of removing all abandoned or under-repair vehicles from the roads.
The implementation of these regulations has sparked anxiety and uncertainty among garage proprietors who heavily depend on these spaces for their livelihoods. Owners have come forward to voice their apprehensions regarding their future prospects.
Osman Bangura, owner of a longstanding tricycle garage on Black Hall Road, has conveyed his worries about the sudden changes. He highlights that the garage provides gainful employment to young individuals, offering an alternative to engaging in illicit activities.
He expresses shock at the press release and contemplates the feasibility of sustaining his business and supporting his employees’ families if relocation is mandated. In a plea directed towards the government, he appeals for an extended transition period considering the current economic adversities faced by the nation.
Foday Brima Kella, operator of a motorbike garage in Dwarzark, concurs with the need to abide by the law and the directives of the authorities.
He implores the government to take into account the living conditions of garage workers, for whom the garages serve as their primary income source.
Foday Brima Kella notes the loyalty of their clients and the familiarity they have with the garages’ presence in the area. Despite their desire to comply, the new regulations leave them feeling disempowered. Kella, drawing from his own nearly two-decade experience, underscores the significant impact of these abrupt changes and entreats the government for leniency, urging a reconsideration of the regulations’ strict enforcement.
Alhaji Alieu Barrie, proprietor of a garage in Lumley, voices his commitment to adhering to the law and acknowledges the unchallengeable authority of the legal system. He underscores the vital role of garages in sustaining their lives and those of their families. Barrie emphasizes that the vehicles parked outside his garage are usually temporary, not intended for prolonged stays. He beseeches the government to recognize their circumstances and extend the compliance timeframe, asserting that the current window is insufficient to make the necessary adjustments.
As Sierra Leonean garage owners unite in expressing their concerns regarding the newly introduced parking regulations, their fears of financial instability loom large. Their collective appeal to the government hinges on a plea for understanding, support, and a pragmatic consideration of their living conditions and the economic challenges facing the nation. They hope for a possible extension of the implementation period to enable a smoother transition into compliance.
I do not understand the concerns raised by some Garage Owners in Freetown. Garage is the hospital of machines. When machines (in this case vehicles and motor bikes) have problems, the owners would take them to a garage irrespective of where the garage is located as long as the Mechanics are good at their jobs. The garage does not have to be on the main streets where they pose hazard to other road users and block traffic unnecessarily. I do not think that relocation of the garage to a more convenient location would lead to loss of income so long as vehicles and motor bikes are plying in the country, the garages and their owners would get jobs. Everything in Sierra Leone is attributed to economic hardship. The economic hardship is there in the first place because we have been doing everything wrongly, flouting laws with impunity. We will only change for the better if we change the way we have been doing things for the better. People will block the only major road connecting the two ends of the city to sell their wares (street trading) and when they are asked to go to a convenient place, they cite loss of income. The two does not correlate. If I want to buy food stuff for example, I will go to where it is available even if it is in a corner. I need food and the seller does not need to sell on the street to attract the buyers. Moving from the street is not going to stop people from seeking to buy the goods that they need to eat and wear. I hope that established newspapers can come onboard to educate people about these issues.