By: Mohamed Jalloh
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) has received a brand new search and rescue boat from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The handing over ceremony was made at the SLMA headquarters in Freetown on Wednesday 19th April 2023.
Paul Sobba Massaquoi, the Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) started by making reference to the statutory instrument that establishes the SLMA.
He stated “Maritime Administration was established by an act of parliament in 2000 as an autonomous body for the regulation of ships and other vessels, the licensing and safety of Maritime personnel and for the regulation and development generally of Maritime, coastal and inland water transport and for other matters connected therewith”.
Mr Massaquoi said when he was appointed as executive director of SLMA in 2020, he established a multilateral relationship with NGO`s, Embassies and other agencies as a way of harnessing the country`s blue economy.
“We had several engagements, and proposals were brought forward to the UNDP, one of which was to refurbish 3 of our search and rescue boats which was done and handed over to the administration”, he disclosed.
He also revealed that the UNDP approved the refurbishment of the Sierra Leone Cape Light at Aberdeen and made radio donations.
Mr Massaquoi personally thanked the UNDP for the generous donations and assistance rendered to the SLMA especially in helping build its capacity to perform it mandate.
“This donation will allow us as an Administration to continue to provide the much needed lifesaving support especially to those who will be in distress at sea and to the people in our community who need our support”, the executive director concluded.
The UNDP representative said the boat costs more than $200,000 and is purposefully given to the SLMA for search and rescue at the high seas.
“The boat will be vital in monitoring the over 400km coastline in Sierra Leone and will be vital in strengthening coastal security and governance”, the UNDP representative revealed.
Mr Ibrahim Wurie the director of SLMA safety and security said the humanitarian aid and support is a courtesy of not only the UNDP but the government of Sierra Leone through the ministry of transport and aviation.
He said the boat is a multi-purpose facility and is the best one can think of as far as search and rescue at sea are concerned.
He thanked UNDP for exceeding their expectations with the provision of not only a brand new boat but also making available a communications system that could promptly respond to distress calls.
Hassan Conteh, the deputy commander of the Sierra Leone navy said they have been doing the work of SLMA when they were hitherto nonexistent and before now when accidents happen at sea the first point of call was the Sierra Leone navy.
He said the donation of a $200,000 search and rescue boat will help the SLMA fulfill its statutory obligations.
“The mandate for search and rescue is with the SLMA, the RSLAF navy will only come in as a stop gap measure”, he noted.
He said the Sierra Leone marine ecosystem covers a distance of 210 nautical miles which is more expansive than the land cover and went on further to urge government to harness the potential available in the blue economy.
The Sierra Leone police navy representative confirms that when the marine space of Sierra Leone is being encroached or violated, the marine wing of the SLP arrests and prosecutes offenders in court.