By Yusuff Moseray Suma
Officials of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) have intensified efforts to clamp down on vehicles operating in the country without proper registration and licensing, as part of a broader campaign to enforce road safety and transport regulations.
On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, a team of SLRSA officials led by Director General James B. Bio conducted an unannounced inspection at the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA) facility at Water Quay in Freetown. The operation targeted vehicles that had been shipped into the country and were leaving the port without first obtaining the necessary permits and registration from the road safety authority.
During the inspection, SLRSA officers impounded several vehicles, most of them heavy-duty trucks believed to be destined for mining operations in different parts of the country. A number of commercial vehicles, including taxis, were also seized after officials discovered that they had not complied with the country’s licensing requirements.
Director General Bio explained that allowing unlicensed vehicles to leave the port and operate on public roads poses a significant threat to road safety. According to him, such vehicles often operate without proper documentation or roadworthiness checks, increasing the likelihood of accidents and other safety hazards.
“We cannot allow vehicles to leave the port and begin operating across the country without first being properly registered and licensed,” Bio stated. “This is part of our statutory responsibility as the national road safety authority. Any vehicle imported into the country must comply with SLRSA regulations before it is allowed on the road.”
He further disclosed that the authority plans to extend its monitoring operations to other locations where imported vehicles are temporarily parked before being transported upcountry.
“We will deploy our personnel at Hastings, where many of these vehicles are usually parked after leaving the port, to ensure that they comply with all licensing requirements before proceeding to various mining sites across the provinces,” he added.
Deputy Director General of SLRSA, Josie A. Scott-Manga, also expressed concern about the increasing number of vehicles operating on Sierra Leone’s roads without proper documentation. She stressed that unlicensed vehicles are not only illegal but also pose serious safety risks to road users.
“Vehicles that are not registered and licensed should not be on the road,” Scott-Manga said. “Many of the accidents and traffic problems we experience are linked to vehicles that do not meet the required standards. This time, the authority is determined to take a more robust approach to removing such vehicles from the streets.”
The Acting Director of Licensing at SLRSA, Mohamed Fofanah, noted that the operation at Water Quay forms part of a wider nationwide enforcement strategy aimed at strengthening compliance with road safety and transport laws.
Fofanah explained that the authority has repeatedly warned vehicle owners and importers to regularize their documents and obtain the required licenses before putting their vehicles into operation. However, he said many operators have continued to ignore those warnings.
“Our goal is to bring order to the country’s transport sector and ensure that all vehicles operating on our roads meet the legal requirements,” he said. “By enforcing these regulations, we believe we can significantly reduce road accidents and improve safety for all road users.”
Responding to the unannounced inspection, the Deputy Director General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority, Judith Boi Kosseh, assured the SLRSA of the port authority’s full cooperation and commitment to regulatory compliance.
Kosseh explained that one of the mandates of the port authority is to ensure that vehicles leaving the port have the necessary documentation required by law. However, she clarified that the port authority itself does not have the power to seize vehicles that fail to meet licensing requirements.
“The port authority is not in a position to confiscate vehicles solely because they are not licensed,” she said. “But we will work closely with the SLRSA to ensure that all vehicles leaving the port meet the required legal and safety standards.”
She further emphasized that the two institutions would strengthen collaboration going forward to prevent unlicensed vehicles from leaving the port and entering the country’s road network.
As enforcement operations continue in other parts of the country, reactions among road users have been mixed. While some commuters and motorists have welcomed the move as a necessary step toward improving road safety, others particularly transport operators—have expressed concerns about the possible impact on their businesses. Nevertheless, the SLRSA has urged all vehicle owners and importers to comply with the law by obtaining proper registration and licensing documents. The authority warned that vehicles found operating illegally will face penalties, including impoundment and possible legal action
