President Bio Opens Sewa Grounds Market, Cuts Stall Rent and Calls for More NaSSIT Projects

President Julius Maada Bio has officially commissioned the newly completed Sewa Grounds Market in the heart of Freetown’s Central Business District, describing it as a turning point for traders and the wider city economy.

The modern facility, built by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NaSSIT), offers 1,544 marketing spaces and a car park, alongside key 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. The market is also equipped with CCTV cameras and round-the-clock security.

In his keynote address, President Bio praised NaSSIT for completing a project that had long been delayed, commending traders especially women for their resilience in trading under harsh conditions without proper shelter or sanitation. He also revealed that his government had reduced the proposed stall rent from NLe 12,000 to NLe 6,000, a rate he promised would remain fixed throughout his tenure.

“This market is more than a safe and dignified space for our traders,” he said. “It will boost the productivity of small and medium enterprises, improve livelihoods, and contribute to the local economy of Freetown.” He further challenged NaSSIT to build more markets across Sierra Leone, pledging his government’s support for projects that will create secure spaces for businesses.

President Bio also announced plans to extend social protection by introducing a pension scheme for informal workers, including petty traders, bike riders, and commercial drivers, with NaSSIT taking the lead in rolling it out.

The Director General of NaSSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, noted that contributions from scheme members made the project possible and pledged to maintain the facility at high standards. “This has not been an easy journey,” he said, “but we are grateful to His Excellency for his leadership and support in completing the Sewa Grounds Market.”

Employment Minister Mohamed Rahman Swaray described the commissioning as long overdue, adding that the project had been shaped by public concerns. “This demonstrates that President Bio is a listening leader,” he said, while also encouraging informal workers to enroll in NaSSIT schemes to secure their long-term future.

The Sewa Grounds Market project began in 2014 as a joint effort between NaSSIT and the Freetown City Council to address overcrowding and poor trading conditions in the city centre. The site, once congested with unregulated street trading, lacked sanitation and posed safety risks for both traders and the public. The modern facility is expected to ease congestion, improve hygiene standards, and provide a regulated space for business.

NaSSIT, created by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust Act of 2001, is tasked with managing Sierra Leone’s national pension scheme. It collects and invests contributions from employers and employees to provide benefits in cases of retirement, disability, or death. In recent years, NaSSIT has also pursued social investment projects such as housing and markets, and it is now working to extend pension coverage to informal sector workers through the Informal Sector Pension Scheme, which has been endorsed by a national steering committee.