By Joseph S. Margai in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Susan’s Bay near Freetown is now threatened with an imminent danger of flooding. The President of the Sierra Leone United Boats Owners Association (SLUBOA), Paramount Chief (P.C) Bai Shebora Lion II, has warned people who are in the habiting of banking of sea bed to construct houses and other make-shift structures to desist, saying that it would cause flooding.
P.C Bai Shebora Lion II, a paramount chief of Mambolo Chiefdom in Kambia District, was speaking to Groove 106FM last Thursday in Freetown, where he said the situation now at Susan’s Bay, which is a slum community in Freetown, poses a threat of imminent flooding.
According to him, the 1964 Port Act made provision for a dwelling houses or any activity to take place 120 meters away from the sea bed, but what obtains now in Susan’s Bay is only one meter away from the sea bed as residents have blocked the sea bed to construct dwelling houses.
The traditional authority said when someone suppresses the free-flow of water from the river bed, the impact would be negative. He said the heaps of garbage have grossly affected the structure of the environment.
“Providing sea transportation requires a friendly environment. The problem we are also having at Susan’s Bay where residents have been in the habit of dumping wastes into the sea. This action has negative environmental impact. In fact, the garbage prevents the safe landing of boats which seriously affects boat owners,” he said.
He said the wastes are driven to other coastal communities in the country and pose serious health hazards.
“Which is why we have been getting cases of cholera, diarrhea, and others diseases, mosquitoes also breed in those dumpsites and if they bite people, there is a tendency that they would be infected with malaria parasite,” he said.
Started operating at Susan’s Bay since 1992, P.C Bai Shebora Lion II, said their activities are supervised by the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, the Maritime Administration, and the Ministry of Transport and Aviation.
He boasted that no one would eliminate SLUBOA from operating at any wharf because wharf is always a landing site for local and international boats, and their activities are to ensure that boats land safely with goods and passengers as well as seeking the welfare of boats owners.
Asked about the strength of SLUBOA’s membership, the traditional authority said they have 3,000 members, adding that they operate in seven districts of Sierra Leone, namely, Pujehun, Bonthe, Moyamba, Kambia, Port Loko and Western Rural and Urban Districts.
“We are only collecting association dues which are very minimal because we don’t want to heap financial burden on our membership. Most of the proceeds of boats’ operations are going to the individual owners but the National Revenue Authority (NRA) collect taxes from the importers.
