…SLRSA study reveals
December 8, 2017 By Joseph S. Margai
SLRSA’s Dr. Bendu making her statement
cross-section of participants at the event
A diagnostic study on rural transportation services in Sierra Leone, which was supported by the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) and conducted by Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP), has revealed that commercial motorcycles, popularly called ‘Okadas,’ are the most dominant means of transportation in rural areas, even though they demand exorbitant transport fares.
In the presentation of findings and recommendations of the study, Dr. Krijn Peters from Swansea University said people in rural areas pay huge amount of money on okadas than commercial mini buses.
He disclosed that the study was conducted in three districts of Sierra Leone – Bombali, Koinadugu and Pujehun – adding that ‘Okadas’ are the readily available public transportation in rural areas.
“Mini buses or ‘poda podas’ are only seen in rural areas on market days, but ‘Okadas’ are always available. ‘Okadas’ have instant departure, courier services, and drop off at final destination, emergency transport system, among other qualities,” he said.
He said okadas are major contributors to rural development and youth empowerment.
“Women mostly use ‘Okada’ but they haven’t been riding it. And most of them have told us that they don’t have money to purchase an ‘Okada,” he said.
He noted that the essence of the study was to influence government in making public transportation better.
He recommended that government should roll-out cargo motor tricycles which offer cheaper transportation opportunities for people and freights in rural areas than ‘Okadas,’ calling on government to also transform footpaths into tracks/trail for easy movement of ‘Okadas.’
SLRSA’s Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Finda Bendu, said ‘Okadas’ are contributing greatly to rural transportation and rendering lots of services to people, despite the fact that they have been causing road accidents.
“We don’t want to underrate their importance in rural areas but we are putting plans in place to provide the necessary training for the riders. They are rendering services to areas where vehicles cannot go,” she noted.
She disclosed that the study started in May 2017 with support from UKaid and that the researchers have worked assiduously to come out with findings and recommendations that would help government improve on public transportation.
Dr. Shamsu Mustapha, one of the researchers, said Dr. Sarah Finda Bendu assigned three staff to conduct the study and that they were very instrumental throughout the process.
He said the aim was to look at various modes of transportation in rural areas, adding that during the study they discovered that there was acute poverty among rural inhabitants.
“For all the days that we spent in Bafodia town, we only saw two vehicles. But ‘Okadas’ were seen on daily basis throughout our stay. Had it not been for ‘Okadas’ in rural areas, people’s movements would have been constrained,” he concluded.