Sierra Leone to clear vendors from streets in capital make-over

FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone's president Ernest Bai Koroma said on Friday security forces will evict traders, street-garages and food vendors from the cramped streets of the capital Freetown in an effort to improve the city's image.

Parts of the crumbling seaside capital have become almost impassable to vehicles, with market stalls spilling over the pavements, and traders hawking goods of all sorts wandering through crowds of shoppers.

"We must all must say business must not continue how it has been continuing," he said at a news conference. "The play-play don don," he said in the local language, Krio, meaning playtime is over.

Sierra Leone is among the world's least developed nations after a 1991-2002 civil war left its infrastructure in tatters, but boasted one of the fastest growing economies in 2012 due to the restart of iron ore exports.

The project, known as Operation WID (Waste Improved Decongestion), is seen as a step towards improving the country's road safety record and is also hoped to improve Freetown's image in the eyes of investors and tourists.

It will come into effect on Saturday.

The head of a council of tribal leaders, who endorsed the project, spoke of "returning Freetown to its past glory", recalling the heady days in the main city of the former British colony in the 1950s.

Koroma, who was re-elected as president with almost 59 percent of the vote last November said the move was a turning point for Sierra Leone. He railed at length against a culture of public lawlessness, saying Sierra Leone needed to build a disciplined society.

"It's us who must take the driving seat. It's us who must take command and control and move this country forward," he said.

Representatives from various sectors of society endorsed the operation, including the unions for motorbike taxi drivers - whose operations would be restricted in parts of the central business district - and market traders.

But street vendors in central Freetown said that until the government provided them with alternative locations to carry out their business, Operation WID will leave them jobless and unable to support their families.

Fatima Sahid, 28, sells plastic jewellery and flip-flops on Sani Abacha Street. She is the sole breadwinner of her family, with two children and an unemployed husband. She said that without the income from street selling, many like her would end up turning to prostitution.

Her neighbour Isata runs a small stall selling cheap kitchen utensils. "I am not happy because they have not made any preparations for us," she said. "There is nowhere for us to go."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sierre-leone-clear-vendors-streets-capital-over-092151573--sector.html

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