The Bo City Council via its Metropolitan Police has started its ‘Operation Pushback’ geared towards decongesting the central business district of the City which has for years been flooded with street trading.

The Bo City Council on their Facebook page shared photos of the operation and said that they informed the traders on a meeting for the operation.

“Before the outset of Operation PushBack which started on the 1st of September 2023, the Council had engaged relevant business stakeholders in a meeting in August, 2023 where the business people pleaded for the commencement date to be September 1st, 2023 so the grace period could be used for informationion, education and sensitization of traders on same. Accordingly, our Information, Education, and Communication Office in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Traders’ Union adequately engaged traders on the radio and public address system before the start of the operation.”

They went on to state that, “Some well-meaning residents of the City while the operation goes on, are pouring out praises on the Council’s management saying that an anonymous resident at Blackie Drive, Kandeh town who was at Fenton Road shopping, stated that this shall ensure we do not move miles off our areas to buy goods…this is appreciative and we hope the Council continues. Many have marveled at the ongoing decongestion drive as they say the Centre of town had gone out of town and a measure to ameliorate things is welcoming.”

At the end of their release they explained the goal of the operation to ensure orderliness and beauty.

“The goal of ‘Operation Pushback’ is to abolish street trading in the city and ensure orderliness and beauty in the central business district of Bo City.”