May 19, 2017
Head of Project Management Unit, MOYA Mohamed Sahid Koroma (SK)
While addressing a mammoth gathering of youth on Friday, 12 May, 2017, during the end of a week-long training on awareness raising on the newly introduced Toll Road system, linking Wellington and Masiaka, Head of Project Management Unit in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Sahid Koroma, urged all to exhibit leadership skills as they undertake the exercise that would last for four months.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs in collaboration with the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) would start implementing the Toll Road charges come July, 2017.
The exercise which commenced on Monday, 15th May, 2017, would target road users including Vehicle owners, commuters, Drivers Unions, Motto Bike riders and other government agencies.
Koroma said as Head of the Project Management Unit, his responsibility was to ensure that the information flow to the least community and person.
The Head of Project Management Unit said his encounter over the past few days showed that there were people for and against the Toll Road system, which development, he said, was always the case as not everybody will accept the same situation.
He said it was unfortunate that some people were opposed to the system that also operates in some African and European countries, wherein people were now accustomed to paying toll charges.
He said the government of Sierra Leone was not able to endure the cost of the project, hence contracted the China Railway Seventh Group.
He added that since the company is running a business, they needed to get their money back.
During the awareness raising exercise, he informed youth that they would encounter hostile responses from certain quarters, because the exercise has some political ramifications.
He said people most times refuse to comply with tax system because they are not properly sensitized, hence it behooves the youth to pass on the message and change the mindset of people.