By: Hassan Nelson Barrie
February 14, 2025
Kissy Road, Freetown—A New Chapter for Road Safety
The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has officially welcomed its sixth board chairman, Mr. Thomas Mustapha Lahai, AIG Rtd, Commander of the Order of Rokel (COR). The company secretary, Abu Bakarr Sheriff Esq., who called the meeting to order, emphasized the significance of this transition, highlighting the wealth of experience the new chairman brings to the authority since its establishment in 1996.
In his address, the Executive Director (ED), Rev. Smart Kelson Senesie, joined staff and management in welcoming the new board chairman. He took the opportunity to reflect on the authority’s achievements under his leadership, stressing that staff welfare has remained a top priority, with timely payment of emoluments.
He also highlighted a major milestone—the successful establishment of the Highway Management unit, now operational in monitoring and supervising the corridors from Masiaka to Bo and Masiaka to Makeni. This unit is expected to enhance road safety by responding swiftly to accidents and emergencies along these routes. Additionally, ED Senesie expressed optimism about implementing refresher training for the Road Safety Corps to improve traffic management.
Taking over the leadership, Mr. Lahai expressed gratitude to the outgoing chairman, Mr. Sheikh Mustapha Mbawoh, for his dedicated service over the past six years. He pledged to build upon the progress made by his predecessor and the board members, despite inevitable challenges. The new chairman acknowledged that his tenure begins at a crucial moment when the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has outlined a Performance Contract 2025, aligned with the “Big Five Game Changers” development agenda of His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
He stressed that achieving the objectives of the performance contract would require a professional, motivated, and well-qualified team. Addressing concerns raised by members of parliament regarding negative public perceptions of the SLRSA, he encouraged staff to treat such feedback as constructive criticism. Quoting Shakespeare, he remarked, “There is no art to find the mind’s construction in the face, except by some other means.” He urged the team to take these criticisms in good faith, adopt corrective measures, and implement strategic solutions to enhance public trust in the institution.
The Board Chairman called for a new chapter in SLRSA’s history, urging all staff to become active agents of the change and progress they wish to see. He underscored the ultimate goal of ensuring safer roads, reducing fatalities, and improving emergency response times to increase the survival rate of accident victims.
Concluding his address, the board chairman emphasized the importance of teamwork, stating that the leadership of the authority should not be a one-man show but a collective effort. He expressed pride in the remarkable progress made at SLRSA, both at the national level and across regional offices. With a renewed sense of purpose, he urged all members of the authority to work together towards a safer, more efficient road management system in Sierra Leone.
Director Hassanatu Bangura, on behalf of staff, management, and board members, welcomed the board chairman to the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority and assured him of collaboration to foster the ideals of the authority.
