In a collaborative effort to strengthen interagency cooperation between the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the United Nations, a training program for 73 UN drivers commenced on September 2, 2024, at the Sierra Leone Peacekeeping and Law Enforcement Academy (SILEA) Hastings outside Freetown. The training sessions will focus on defensive driving techniques and first aid.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Aiah Edward Samadia, representing the Inspector General of Police, delivered the keynote address. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to provide essential training to UN personnel, emphasizing the shared goals of development, peace, and security between the two organizations despite their different mandates.
DIG Samadia remarked on the significance of the training, acknowledging the substantial support the UN had extended to the SLP’s reform initiatives since the end of the civil war. He underscored the strategic choice of hosting the training at SILEA Hastings, reflecting on management’s commitment to advancing such collaborative efforts.
He also highlighted various forms of support received from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), including the creation and distribution of metal signboards to promote HIV prevention and condom use across police divisions. Furthermore, he recalled that in 2004, the late Dr. S.K. Kamara from the SLP hospital, alongside Mr. Musa Lappia received sponsorship from UNFPA to engage with the Ghana Police on HIV/AIDS prevention. This partnership, he said, has also resulted in significant donations of computers and accessories to the police hospital, showcasing the enduring impact of UN reform programmes on multiple SLP departments.
The DIG Samadia encouraged the participants to engage fully in the training, aiming to emerge as skilled, professional drivers capable of meeting the United Nations’ high expectations. He also urged the instructors to deliver their teachings effectively, honouring the trust placed in the police.
Acting United Nations Resident Coordinator Madam Nadia Rasheed expressed gratitude towards the SLP for its long-standing partnership and for coordinating the training for UN drivers nationwide. She emphasized the importance of the initiative, particularly in light of recent road accidents involving UN drivers—though none resulted in fatalities—making the training timely and crucial. Madam Rasheed urged all participants to actively engage as they serve as representatives of the United Nations.
In addition, the Director of Training, Assistant Inspector General Sahr Y. Senesie noted that the UN had approached the police for this training. He reaffirmed SLP’s reliability as a partner and assured the participants that they would receive comprehensive instruction on traffic laws, regulations, and the essential importance of discipline, encouraging instructors to share their knowledge effectively.
The Commandant of SILEA welcomed all attendees, reaffirming that the academy provides a conducive learning environment accredited by the Tertiary Education Commission and the National Council for Technical Vocational and other Academic Awards, having successfully hosted numerous training programmes for law enforcement agencies.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Deputy Superintendent of Police Morlai Sesay, Head of Academy Affairs at SILEA, followed by a group photo.
