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Concord Times (Freetown)

Sierra Leone: The Ferry System is Crucial for Country's Development

Mariama Kandeh

15 May 2008

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opinion

Freetown — A recent visit to Lungi airport left me worried over the future of Sierra Leone. I am worried firstly because of the present status of the airport and secondly, and most importantly, the unpleasant condition of the ferries that transport people to and fro Freetown.

I arrived at the Kissy Ferry Terminal at around 1:30pm just in time for me to catch up with the departure time since I was told the ferry will be leaving by 2pm. To my dismay, I met the ferry 'Mahera' had gone.

Whether the system works with time or with its capacity is a question for the management and the transport minister Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay to answer.

Although ministers deal with policies, when an issue becomes a menace to government officials and their partners, then the minister will have cause to answer to the President.

Beside the time failure of the ferry system which has become a culture for Sierra Leoneans, another nauseating thing is the filth and stench that has become part of the terminal.

The terminal stinks. The passengers' waiting room's smell of urine and other disturbing odour will send away any sober minded person. I and my colleagues were forced to move outside the room to wait.

Despite the horrible smell, passengers were locked up in the stenchy lounge like war crime prisoners. The smelly room could not accommodate the growing population and thus some had to wait outside. There were piles of filth right in the middle of the waiting lounge. Even though faeces could be seen on polyethylene bags, some strong-will passengers who are very anxious to travel to Lungi, sat in the room patiently. Some of these passengers are already late for their flights.

I turned to a corner and saw a gentleman - supposedly travelling out of the country for the first time and was going for good - with more than seven members of his family seeing him off. Perhaps he was a professional going out like most Africans do, to seek a greener pasture because as my colleague would say "it is riotous here." A truly happy man running away from in-depth hardship and frustration! He really looked confused over the delay, really anxious to say good bye to a troubled life as is the case with many young people in Sierra Leone.

I went over to get a ferry ticket and it was surprising for me to see Le 1,500 written on the ticket while I was asked to pay Le 2,000. I argued the salesman that I should not pay that amount but when I saw mass of people on the queue, I realized that fighting for my rights will almost lead me to losing the opportunity of going to the programme I was about to attend at Lungi. So I decided to pay and keep pondering over whose pocket the remaining Le 500 of hundreds of people will go.

Again, I asked myself whether President Koroma's attitudinal change dream will ever come to pass as corruption is seemingly becoming a bathing soap for Sierra Leoneans nowadays.

We continued to wait until about 4:45pm when the Muzuk ferry returned. Again, another series of running and bribing for space commenced. We went over to the vehicles and first class passengers' gate (as I was told by the gate man). We pleaded to enter the terminal so that we can be able to board the ferry without much constraint but the man was very adamant.

Later we saw him allowing other people like us to go inside for unknown reasons perhaps after squeezing his palm (bribing him) through his network as we later found out that there were other men assisting him at the gate.

We went in and boarded the ferry. Again, the story of the ferry was nothing to write home about. The path we used to get to the seats for those with ordinary tickets was filthy and smelling. Stinking water was running out of the toilet and the roof of the ferry was tattered and I started praying to God to keep the rains afar at least till we reach our destination. The ferry does not seem to have much capacity which I attribute its being in a bad shape.

Passengers could be found everywhere. I and colleagues were lucky to have gotten seats but for some others, including feeding mothers, pregnant women and children, they stood for over thirty minutes to reach the other side of the terminal.

Another disturbing incident was the comedians who tend to be entertaining people but were unsuccessful as the whole thing was just too rowdy for people to understand their message. Finally they ended up asking people to dash them money (but to no avail because of the current 'adop' and extreme difficult times the people are going through).

After that came two blind men preaching the word of God as a means to get some few Leones from people.

The current status of people reflects through the numerous means people now use to make money; from the unknown amount of religious houses that are springing up everyday to additional fares for travellers.

The ferry system is unhealthy and as it is the only means of transporting people to Lungi now since the grounding of the helicopter (and the hovercraft doesn't seem to be effective), it may send very industrious investors away.

As we returned that night, we were told that the Mahera ferry that took us over to Freetown was dilapidated than Muzuk. Although both have similar problems with the roofing, Mahera is even slower than Muzuk and could act even stupidly sometimes. We were told that the ferry will leave at 8:30pm but unfortunately for us, we waited at Targrin for passengers from Freetown to disembark until about 9:30pm and before it finally took off by 11pm.

It might be expedient to mention at this point that the poor timing of the ferry has led many people, even though frightened, to board speed boats and endangered 'pampers' to cross over.

As we thought we were approaching the Kissy ferry terminal, we realized that the ferry was not taking us to the expected destination. Whether the ferry's controller was sleeping or intoxicated is another question. The man, and wife and daughter, seated next to me having just returned to the country after five years, were grumbling. They even commented that the state of the ferries usually comes to their mind whenever they think about travelling back home.

The status of the airport and the ferry service go a long way to tell who Sierra Leoneans are. It depicts the status, attitude and future of Sierra Leoneans and must not be treated with levity.

The ferry system is one of the most important means of transportation for Sierra Leone. It stands as a link between the country and the international world. It can attract and distract investors and other well wishers. Minister Sesay should look into this system very critically and take stringent measures against any distraction it may cause.

Take for instance the reported case of one of the officials that graced the recently concluded ECOWAS Commission presidential and public affairs fourth conference on 'decent work practice'. Upon embarking on the ferry, one of the Commission's officials fell down and got her hand fractured. This lady was in excruciating agony and fear throughout the conference held at Bintumani Hotel.

This is one of the factors that attract a bad reputation for our transport system and the country as a whole. So an urgent solution to the rotten ferry system in Sierra Leone should be sought.

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