By Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
After an extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and exhaustive sensitizations together with the traders’ council, last Friday 10 May 2024, the Municipality Management of Freetown City Council announced the enforcement of a “no street trading” on designated areas of the city.
The move comes after an increasing trend of street vendors obstructing footpaths and roads with their goods, causing traffic congestion and public safety issues for pedestrians and motorists alike.
According to the Freetown City Council’s Chief Administrator, Raman Tom Farmar, this new policy seeks to promote cleanliness and safety throughout the city. The no street trading will affect 23 designated streets within the municipality of Freetown which took effect yesterday Monday 13 May 2024.
The following streets include Shaka Stevens Street (Commencing from Wilberforce Street); Willington Street, Walpole Street, Lamina Sankoh Street, Gorge Street, Gloucester Street, Charlotte Street, Sanders Street, St. John Roundabout, Bathurst Street, Circular Road (Stopping At Truscot Church), Howe Street (Lower Howe Street), Wilberforce Street (Lower Wilberforce Street), Lightfoot Boston Street (Except for between Pultney and Percival Street), Wallace Johnson Street, Pademba Road, Wilkinson Road, Campbell Street, Hill Cot Road, Hill Station, Jomo Kenyatta Road, and Congo Cross Main Road.
It was reported that, any trader found liable for trading on any of these streets commits an offence and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding Five Thousand New Leones (Nle5,000.00) or 6 (SIX) months imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment pursuant to the Local Government ACT 2022.
