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Concerned Sierra Leoneans have raised concerns over what they describe as an “abandoned” Providence International High School (PIHS) bus that has remained parked in the same spot for several weeks, prompting fresh calls for the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) to impose the same sanctions it applies to other road users.
According to individuals familiar with the situation, the vehicle has not been moved “for a good few weeks or months,” despite repeated public complaints about obstruction along the busy route where it is parked. Witnesses say they have monitored the bus “for weeks now,” adding that its continued presence has caused inconvenience to road users.
Report pointed out what they believe to be inconsistency in the enforcement of SLRSA regulations. They questioned why the agency has taken action against similar violations elsewhere but has “carefully avoided this one.”
“One day, we wasted almost 20 minutes waiting for SLRSA to tow away a poda poda from the road, just across from where this Providence bus is parked,” a source lamented. “Why was the bus spared? It’s still parked there as you read this.”
It was also asserted that they hold no ill feelings toward Providence International High School but insisted that the institution should take responsibility for proper vehicle parking. They argue that allowing the school bus to remain on a major road link is “wrong” and creates obstruction for other commuters.
“What they are doing along that road is wrong. Totally wrong,” the report explained. “We want SLRSA to apply the law without discrimination.”
The report further noted that schools with private buses are expected to secure proper parking areas – either within their premises or at a designated commercial parking space where fees can be paid.
They added that schools such as Providence, which they say charge reasonable fees for their services, should not “subject the rest of us to such inconvenience by closing down an important section of a major road.”
The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority has been called upon to investigate the matter and take appropriate action to ensure compliance with road safety and parking regulations. SLRSA has not yet issued any public statement regarding the concerns raised.
