Traders Frustrated as Sewa Grounds Market Remains Closed Despite Registration and Payments

Traders in central Freetown have voiced growing frustration over the continued delay in opening the newly constructed Sewa Grounds Market, despite earlier assurances that trading activities would begin on November 1, 2025.
Several traders told Truth Media that they have completed all required registration processes, paid stipulated fees, and even opened bank accounts for annual payments, yet they remain unable to access the market facility.
As a result, many say they are still operating along busy streets, where congestion and enforcement actions have made trading increasingly difficult.
Ibrahim Z. Kargbo, Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Book Sellers Association, said traders were instructed to stop selling on the streets after being assured that the market would open as scheduled. According to him, those assurances have not been fulfilled.