By His Excellency Dr,State House Comms Unit

Copyright statehouse

Sewa Grounds Market, Freetown, Thursday 18 September 2025 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has officially commissioned the modern Sewa Grounds Market, located in the heart of Freetown’s Central Business District.

The newly completed facility comprises 1,544 marketing spaces, a car park, and a wide range of ancillary amenities, including 176 toilets, boreholes and water towers, a daycare centre, fire force and police posts, fire extinguishers, 76 large and medium lockup shops, 277 small shops, and 170 district shops. Constructed by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NaSSIT), with funding from workers’ social security and pension contributions, the project represents a major step in addressing street trading challenges in Freetown.

The Sewa Grounds Market will significantly reduce street trading in the city centre, providing traders with a dignified, safe, and secure environment to do business. The complex is equipped with 24-hour security and CCTV cameras, ensuring the safety of traders, their goods, and customers.

In his keynote address, President Bio expressed gratitude to the management and staff of NaSSIT for delivering on “yet another human-capital-driven development in the trade sector.”

He noted that the Sewa Grounds Market project was inherited by his government but had long been overdue. He commended small business owners, especially women traders, for their resilience in working under harsh weather conditions with limited access to sanitation and security.

“This market is more than a safe and dignified space for our traders,” the President emphasized. “It will boost the productivity of small and medium enterprises, improve livelihoods, and contribute to the local economy of Freetown.”

He further emphasised his government’s recognition of the informal sector’s invaluable contribution to Sierra Leone’s economy. He disclosed plans to establish a pension scheme for informal workers, including petty traders, bike riders, and commercial drivers, with NaSSIT taking the lead.

“This scheme will enhance the well-being and secure the future of our citizens, giving them the opportunity of a dignified retirement,” he assured.

In a major announcement welcomed by traders, President Bio revealed that while NaSSIT had set the stall rent at NLe 12,000, his government had reduced it to NLe 6,000 per stall.

“This cost will remain the same until the end of my tenure in office. It is a demonstration of my government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for all Sierra Leoneans and to support businesses to thrive,” the President affirmed.

He urged traders to be law-abiding, maintain cleanliness, and ensure free accessibility within and around the facility.

The Director General of NaSSIT, Mr Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, acknowledged the role of scheme members’ contributions in the successful completion of the project. He pledged to maintain the facility at a high standard and assured that NaSSIT would expand its intervention by constructing more markets across the country.

“This has not been an easy journey,” Mr Daboh stated, “but we are grateful to His Excellency for his leadership and support in completing the Sewa Grounds Market.”

The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security (MELSS), Mr Mohamed Rahman Swaray, described the commissioning as long overdue, noting that the project had been influenced by feedback from the public.

“This clearly demonstrates that President Bio is a listening leader. As a government, our actions are shaped by the voices and contributions of our people,” he remarked.

Minister Swaray congratulated NaSSIT’s management and board for actualising one of President Bio’s long-standing development priorities. He echoed the President’s challenge for NaSSIT to construct more markets nationwide and encouraged informal workers to enroll in NaSSIT schemes for their long-term security.

For further enquiries

State House Media and Communications Unit

Email: info@statehouse.gov.sl