By: Yusuff Moseray Suma
The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on unlicensed vehicles, extending enforcement operations from the country’s main port to mining sites across the provinces in a bid to improve road safety and enforce compliance with transport regulations.The latest enforcement action took place on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, when officials from the authority commenced a comprehensive vehicle licence verification exercise at several mining locations to ensure that vehicles operating in those areas possess valid licences and meet operational standards.According to the Executive Director of SLRSA, James Baggie Bio, the exercise forms part of the authority’s broader strategy to strengthen compliance with road safety regulations and reduce accidents involving heavy-duty vehicles operating in the country.“This move is aimed at ensuring that all vehicles operating in Sierra Leone, including those deployed at mining sites, meet the required safety standards and regulatory requirements,” Bio said.He further explained that vehicle owners must ensure they possess all the necessary documentation, including valid driver’s licences and vehicle registration certificates.Bio noted that the authority has also introduced new measures to make the licensing process more convenient, including a mobile licensing service accessible through the toll-free number 844, aimed at encouraging compliance and improving service delivery.The enforcement drive follows a similar operation carried out a day earlier at the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) facility at Water Quay in Freetown, where a high-level SLRSA team conducted a surprise inspection targeting vehicles arriving at the port without proper registration and permits.During that operation, several vehicles—including heavy-duty trucks reportedly destined for mining operations across the country—were impounded after they were found to be in breach of licensing regulations. Some taxis and commercial vehicles were also seized for operating without valid documentation.Executive Director Bio warned that vehicles leaving the port without proper registration pose a serious threat to road safety.“Vehicles that exit the port without proper registration and licensing are a danger to the public. As the authority mandated to regulate road safety, we will ensure that every vehicle shipped through Water Quay is duly registered before it is allowed to operate on our roads,” he stated.He also disclosed that the authority plans to extend monitoring operations to strategic locations, including Hastings, where many imported vehicles are temporarily parked before being transported to mining sites and other destinations across the country.Deputy Executive Director of SLRSA, Josie A. Scott-Manga, emphasized that vehicles operating without proper registration and licensing contribute significantly to road safety challenges.“Vehicles operating without proper documentation are not fit for purpose. Some of these vehicles are responsible for the havoc we witness on our roads. This time, the authority is determined to remove them from the streets across Sierra Leone,” she said.Also speaking during the enforcement exercise, Acting Director of Licensing at SLRSA, Mohamed Fofanah, said the operation forms part of a broader national effort to enforce road safety laws and bring order to the transport sector.He noted that despite several warnings issued to vehicle owners to regularize their documentation, many had failed to comply.“The authority has repeatedly advised vehicle owners to obtain the necessary licences and documentation, but some have ignored those directives. This enforcement action is intended to restore order in the transport sector and ultimately reduce road accidents,” Fofanah explained.Responding to the unannounced inspection at the port, Deputy Director General of SLPHA, Judith Boi Kosseh, assured the SLRSA of the port authority’s full cooperation.Kosseh explained that while the port authority does not have the legal mandate to seize vehicles over licensing issues, it remains committed to ensuring that vehicles leaving the port comply with all relevant regulations.“Moving forward, we will strengthen collaboration with the SLRSA to ensure that vehicles entering and leaving the port meet all registration and licensing requirements,” she said.The SLRSA, the national body responsible for regulating and developing the road transport sector, continues to implement reforms aimed at improving road safety management, strengthening enforcement, and reducing road traffic crashes and fatalities across the country.While many road users have welcomed the ongoing enforcement drive as a necessary step toward safer roads, some vehicle operators have expressed concern about the potential impact on their businesses. However, the authority has urged all vehicle owners to comply with existing regulations to avoid penalties as the nationwide compliance exercise continues.