Post a comment Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has met with the Chairman of the Monuments and Relics Commission, Joseph Ben Kaifala, to discuss measures to protect the historic De Ruyter Stone ahead of the construction of the new EU-funded King Jimmy Market.
According to the Mayor, although the De Ruyter Stone is not located within the market project site, the €413,200 development will incorporate measures to preserve and showcase the National Monument during and after construction.
As part of the initiative, the Freetown City Council (FCC) and the Monuments and Relics Commission plan to launch a joint design competition inviting female architects, graduates and students to submit proposals for a protective display structure for the historic monument.
During the meeting, the FCC also handed over a recovered commemorative plaque from the former Howe Street residence of exiled Asantehene Prempeh I to the Monuments and Relics Commission for preservation.
The new King Jimmy Market project, funded by the European Union at a cost of €413,200, is expected to commence following the completion of the procurement process and is scheduled for completion within 10 months.
The engagement underscores the city’s commitment to ensuring that infrastructure development goes hand in hand with the preservation of Sierra Leone’s cultural and historical heritage.
