Sierra Leone Railway Safety Campaign

[John Ashworth]

SIERRA LEONE RAILWAY SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Railways Africa On October 5, 2011 In Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone government, with assistance from the public relations department of African Minerals (SL) Ltd, is
engaging religious leaders, teachers, chiefs and other rural authorities in drawing attention to the hazards associated with railway operations.

A map of close to hundred villages was drawn up with rallying points clearly identified, based on mutual proximity. Thirty-five rallying points were each expected to bring together at least six representatives from between eight and nine villages to one combined meeting where safety sensitising is being organised.

The rail safety sensitisation community meetings began in September and are to run until mid-October, by when the team of dedicated safety officers, corporate assistants and communications support staff is expected to have met all community representatives from all chiefdoms in the mines and railway areas.

The message reads: “At crossings you must stop, look, listen and you will stay alive.” This simple message around safety and hazards associated with railway operations and trains, supported by universally accepted safety measures, is captured in videos and projected on giant screens with vivid graphics, all self-explanatory.

A slogan developed by community people in areas covered so far is: “LIFE IS ONE, LOOK AFTER IT.”

The campaign forms part of AML’s comprehensive plan to complete the railway as scheduled. The message is easily translatable into local dialects and slang by people living in villages along the company’s 200km line across the Tonkolili, Bombali and Port Loko districts, in the north of the country.

The theft of rail material during recent months has been highlighted too. The cutting and removal of clips, sleepers and rail endangers safety and can cause accidents, apart from the cost to the company and setbacks to the construction schedule. Towns and paramount chiefs have promised to warn their subjects against theft or damage of rail facilities.