Unbelievable! I could not believe my eyes seeing the most congested street in Freetown, the Sani Abacha street, where hundreds of traders crowded to hustle, a place where people goes to buy stuffs, where traffic congestion is unavoidable, has finally been cleared.

Before now, this street was filled with market stalls of hundreds of traders that used to sell different things; foodstuffs, clothes, accessories, jewelries etc. It was Freetown’s local mall.

This street was like that forever till after the August 10 violent protest, traders woke up one morning only to found out that their stalls have been destroyed by unknown people.

The traders were convinced that the government was behind the destruction because of the timing. The night the incident took place, a nationwide curfew had been imposed on the people so it could only be from amongst the people that are in control of the country.

Some SLPP politicians had blamed it on the Freetown City Mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, but she came out made it clear that the Freetown City Council had nothing to do with it.

Later they say it could be thugs but soon after we saw Sierra Leone Road Safety Officers installing rail guards at the same Abacha Street where traders stalls had been destroyed. And the same politicians whom were playing the blame game came out and rejoiced.

One core SLPP supporter, Myk Berewah posted “INSTALLATION OF GUARDRAILS AT ABACHA STREET- NO MORE STREET TRADING— Ya Go Must Make.”

And after the installation he posted on his timeline; “Abacha Street Sweet For Waka.. Play Play Don Don – It’s a new direction”

Now what does this tells us? If the Freetown Mayor has nothing to do with the destruction and rail guard and we are seeing all these comments from core supporters of the ruling party, what can we make of this?

Many people are happy about the recent change in the Abacha street because they can now work smoothly and peacefully without crowding. yes It is wonderful to see people working and vehicles plying smoothly and peacefully but what about those traders that their livelihoods depended on trading at that spot.

What about their families? what about their children? Do they not matter?

A government must always think about the wellbeing of his people before taking decisions.

It is good to stop street trading, nobody is against that, but a provision of markets for these traders must have been made before taking this step.

These people have been deprived of their livelihood. How long are they going to wait for government to build them markets if he even have the plans to do so.