The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) has handed over 15 motorbikes to Maritime Traffic Overseers, Regional Managers and Dispatch Riders to enhance mobility and strengthen field operations across the country.
The motorbikes are expected to support maritime monitoring, inspections, stakeholder engagement, reporting and timely response, particularly in districts and hard-to-reach communities.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, SLMA Executive Director, Dr. Daniel B. Kaitibi, urged the beneficiaries to use the motorbikes responsibly and ensure proper maintenance of the assets.
“These motorbikes are operational assets entrusted to our officers to enable them to perform their duties more effectively. I urge all beneficiaries to use them judiciously, responsibly and strictly for their intended purpose, with proper maintenance and accountability,” Dr. Kaitibi said.
The initiative forms part of the SLMA’s efforts to equip its field personnel with the necessary resources to effectively carry out the Administration’s mandate across the country.
For Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, Regional Manager for Western Area Urban, the importance of the motorbikes is best understood by the officers who work directly in the field.
“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 explained that conducting spot checks and reaching communities can be costly and difficult, particularly in areas with limited transportation options.
“Undertaking spot checks in communities is very costly and difficult, too. These bikes will ease some of those burdens and challenges on us,” he added.
The beneficiaries are expected to use the motorbikes to improve their mobility and support more effective maritime field operations, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas.