By Politico staff writer
A standoff between business owners and the Bo city council yesterday 17th August 2021 led to the close of businesses in Bo, southern Sierra Leone. The clash between the two groups according to report happened after the two parties had signed a communique on the 6th of August 2021 to decongest the roads.
The business owners decided to close their businesses after the Sierra Leone Police, the Roads Safety Authorities and the council’s metropolitan police started enforcing the communique to decongest the roads by clamping down vehicles parked in front of businesses including delivery vans which mostly belongs to the business owners.
In his statement at a stakeholder’s engagement to resolve the issue, the Lebanese chairman Mohamed Fawaz said they agreed with the Bo City council to decongest the roads but accused the council of acting contrary to what was agreed on.
“Today I did not go to work earlier. I received several calls from the business community, I thought it was a big burial. We're not against the regulations but they flouted what was agreed on,”he said.
He said most of the vehicles clamped were the delivery vans that transport goods bought in large quantity. He added the Lebanese are law abiding people but at the same time will not allow people to misuse them.
Michael A. Feika, Media officer at the SLRSA South said they were just enforcing a regulation on those who leave their vehicles on the roads and go about their businesses.
In his statement, the Resident Minister South, Mohamed E.K Allie said he was disappointed to hear that shops were closed. He said the action by the business people was an intention to sabotage the government. “Because if there was a communique agreed upon they should go by it,” he argued.
He said many people were prevented from buying and selling because of the closure of businesses, noting that there is law in Sierra Leone which everyone must abide to irrespective of colour, tribe or religion .
He advised that both parties work together for the development of the city.
It was however agreed at the meeting that delivery vans should not parked permanently before the business areas.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police South, Edward Aiah Samadia said the police will not allow lawlessness.
The Chief Administrator for Bo city council, Veronica Josephine Fortune said the business community should work with the council but not to frustrate them. She said that the council has always engaged the traders union before and that if there was any issue that the traders were not happy about, they should have informed them.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (18/08/21)
