Post a comment
It is unarguably true that a US Dollar rate has adversely increased in Sierra Leone over a short period of time. As it stands now, One hundred US Dollar ($100) has risen to a range between one million six hundred thousands Leones to One million seven hundred thousand Leones (1,600,000 – 1,700,000) old currency. This is adversely affecting businessmen and low income earners in Sierra Leone.
In Sierra Leone today, getting a self-contained apartment in the Western and Eastern part of Freetown is very difficult if you are not ready to pay in dollars. This has been a major challenge to many residents of Western Area or anyone who wishes to live there as the dollar poses a challenge till date.
Notwithstanding the country we live where the dollar currency rockets almost every few days, BBC reporter Umaru has on his Facebook handle pleaded on behalf of Sierra Leone tenants association.
Speaking on behalf of the tenants, Umaru Fofana beseech all tenants in Sierra Leone who charge their rents in US Dollars to have the fear of God and accept last year’s exchange rate.
This he said was said as a result of the level the dollar has reached and the Leone currency deteriorating every day compared to other foreign currencies.
There are assumptions that people who chose to have settlements in the areas prone to flooding as a result of the constraints and challenges they face living under the roof a landlord. To many Sierra Leoneans, some landlord are as bad as evil when you live under their roof. Despite the long rapport and strong tenant and landlord relationship, they are less likely to put themselves into the shoes of the tenants when it comes to imposing rent. Sierra Leone is country that deals in Leone currency but some of these landlords charge their rents in dollars.
“These are some of the reasons why people prefer to build where ever. This is a crime and they continue to go free. We use Leones but they asking for dollars is absolutely wrong.” Mohamed Wusha Conteh mentioned.
With this issue keeps bordering Sierra Leoneans and little or nothing much has been done over the years, Sierra Leoneans call the attention of the government to the situation once again amidst the rising price of dollar in Sierra Leone as the year is about to end.
“I think government ought to regulate house rent just as it does regulate the transport sector. I know some people may want to say it wasn’t government that build their houses for them but the same also implies in the transport sector. It wasn’t government that bought their vehicles yet government regulate their activities in a bid to salvage the cost of transportation. Government must regulate house rent or else…” Semion T Kargbo posted on Facebook.
