The project marks the first work ever conducted by Transaid in Sierra Leone; a country which was dogged by civil war between 1991 and 2002 which killed 50,000 people.

Transaid found that rural areas are hit worst in terms of difficult access to transport and social services reliant on transport, such as basic maternal health care.  Transporting food commodities to and from urban areas and market centres is also a major issue.

The analysis concluded that a fully implemented transport plan would be beneficial in all sectors of the economy including health, education, agriculture, security and the private sectors.

Ekow Fletcher, Transaid's West Africa Projects Manager, explains: "The most urgent requirement for assistance was from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, where decisions regarding the utilisation, maintenance and management of transport are conducted on an ad hoc basis.  Its poorly maintained vehicles are also highly inefficient and a massive drain on resources.

"Our task now is to define the activities required to achieve the objectives of establishing an effective transport system, initially with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, with the target of a project commencing on the ground by the autumn," he adds.

Transaid undertook its analysis in the western region of Sierra Leone, which includes the capital, Freetown, and the Kambia, Port Loko and Tonkolili districts.