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Traders at Bottom Mango Market in the eastern part of Freetown have appealed to the Government of Sierra Leone and relevant authorities to intervene following allegations that a foreign businessman is attempting to evict them from the area where they have conducted business for decades.
The traders claim that the businessman, whom they identified as a Lebanese national with private property adjacent to the market, is asserting ownership over the section currently occupied by vendors and is seeking to remove them.
Speaking to ClarityPlus Media, trader Isatu J. Kamara said the disputed area is a right of way which, according to her, falls under the jurisdiction of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and was originally designated as an alternative road route.
Kamara stated that she has traded at Bottom Mango Market for more than 32 years and said many of the affected vendors are women who depend on the market as their primary source of income.
“I have been trading here for over 32 years. Most of us are women and the breadwinners of our families. It is worrying that one individual wants to forcefully remove us from this place,” she said.
She further disclosed that the traders recently visited the Freetown City Council (FCC) in an effort to meet with the Mayor and discuss the matter but were reportedly unable to secure an audience.
According to Kamara, the traders pay annual table taxes and regularly purchase market tickets from the Council, which they believe demonstrates official recognition of their trading activities in the area.
The traders have now called on the Government, the Sierra Leone Roads Authority, the Freetown City Council and other relevant authorities to investigate the ownership dispute and ensure that any action taken is lawful, transparent and does not unjustly deprive them of their livelihoods.
As of the time of publication, neither the businessman at the centre of the allegations nor the relevant authorities had publicly responded to the traders’ claims.
This is our problem in sierra Leone 🇸🇱🇸🇱🇸🇱 foreigner challenge citizens in there own mother land because of money and influence, it will never happen in Guinea Conakry let’s keep on looking what the mayor of freetown city council and S L R A will do in this matter journalist the traders are waiting for write up.