By: Aminata Sesay
The Ministry of Transport and Aviation has wrapped up its 2025 Annual Sector Retreat with a renewed commitment to reshape Sierra Leone’s transport landscape moving away from traditional service delivery toward a modern, coordinated, and innovation-driven system.
Held under the theme “Enhancing Quality Service Delivery in the Transport Sector,” the three-day retreat went beyond routine assessment, confronting long-standing structural challenges and setting an ambitious agenda for the next two years.
Senior Permanent Secretary Edward Kwame Yankson opened the event with a compelling call for institutional self-examination. He urged agencies to identify persistent weaknesses and embrace a stronger culture of accountability. His message was firm: the transport sector is entering a transformative era that demands smarter planning, closer coordination, and shared responsibility across all institutions.
Quoting Chinua Achebe, he reminded participants that acknowledging past shortcomings is essential for meaningful progress. He also announced the establishment of the Sierra Leone Railway Regulatory Agency and the National Shipping Agency, signaling a major expansion of the Ministry’s regulatory portfolio covering land, sea, and potential rail services.
The retreat reaffirmed the sector’s central role in delivering the Government’s broader economic agenda. Resident Minister South, Chief John Abu*, stressed that efficient transport services are fundamental to progress in tourism, trade, education, and rural development. He emphasized that President Bio’s vision of a modern economy depends on a transport system capable of supporting national growth and mobility for all Sierra Leoneans.
Addressing governance improvements, PSRU Director Sulaiman Phoray-Musa outlined the Ministry’s progress in performance management, digital transformation, and staff capacity building. He challenged agency leaders to demonstrate ethical and forward-looking leadership aligned with evolving global transportation standards.
Delivering the keynote address, Transport and Aviation Minister, Ambassador (Rtd.) Col. Alhaji Fanday Turay, presented an ambitious vision for the Ministry’s future. He emphasized that the Ministry is not a collection of isolated entities but an interconnected ecosystem whose success depends on collaboration. He called for the development of a Two-Year Strategic Plan (2025–2027) to guide investments, reforms, and service delivery. Despite financial and infrastructural constraints, he noted that the sector has made notable strides.
A major highlight of the retreat was a presentation on sustainable transportation by Director of Transport Mohamed Hindolo Shiaka, who encouraged agencies to integrate e-mobility into future planning. He reframed sustainable mobility as a holistic transformation in how Sierra Leoneans move promising cleaner cities, reduced energy costs, and more equitable access to transport.
The Acting Director of GIS, Emmanuel B. Turay, underscored the importance of communication, transparency, and strategic outreach. He called on all agencies to deploy trained communication officers to enhance public trust, institutional visibility, and stakeholder engagement.
As the retreat concluded, agencies presented performance reviews outlining achievements and persistent challenges insights that will shape the upcoming strategic plan.
During the awards ceremony, the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbour Authority (SLPHA) was named Best Performing Agency for 2025, with several others honored for innovation, discipline, and long service.