By Josephine Sesay

The Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA), the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) and the Sierra Leone Police have launched a joint enforcement exercise dubbed “Operation Push Back” to remove illegal structures obstructing pedestrian walkways across Freetown.

The operation commenced in the city’s Central Business District and along the Western Corridor, targeting makeshift stalls, unauthorised structures, and other encroachments that have forced pedestrians onto busy roads, exposing them to a greater risk of traffic accidents.

According to the authorities, the initiative is designed to restore pedestrian access, improve road safety and enhance the overall cleanliness and orderliness of the capital.

Officials said reclaiming public walkways is essential to protecting pedestrians and ensuring that roads and sidewalks are used for their intended purposes. They added that the exercise forms part of broader efforts to strengthen urban management, ease congestion and improve the city’s public environment.

The joint task force emphasised that the operation will be carried out in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and will continue until all identified pedestrian walkways have been cleared of illegal structures and other obstructions.

Residents and business owners have been urged to cooperate by voluntarily removing unauthorised structures and respecting designated public spaces. Authorities warned that enforcement action would be taken against individuals who fail to comply with the directive.

The three agencies reaffirmed their commitment to improving road safety, enhancing pedestrian mobility and creating a cleaner and more organised urban environment. They stressed that “Operation Push Back” is part of ongoing efforts to promote public safety, protect public infrastructure and ensure the responsible use of pedestrian walkways throughout Freetown.

 Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 13th July 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)