The Wise Bird has been following the activities of various ministries and by extension the government.

Not that the government does not know about certain abnormalities that are going on in the country, only that the government is too lethargic in taking actions to address such.

The bird is of the view that the closing-down of some shops over the sale of substandard products in the country is long overdue.

And this is more the reason expired food stuffs are every corner in the city.

The most respect animal is of the view that, from all indications, it seems as if the country is without a Ministry of Trade and Industry to regulate trading because the substandard goods are flooding the markets on a daily basis and the government is busy now just talking about faulty “iron rods” influx into the country, thereby leaving out the expired food stuffs on display which are more dangerous to the health of people.

The Wise Bird will say without hesitation that, public safety and the health of the people should be the priority of any serious government world-wide.

This is without prejudices to say that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is not effective and well-organized at all as it is supposed to be, like in the 70s, 80s, and even in the 90s.

The Ministry was having trade monitors /inspectors in those days but today it is very difficult to get or to see one.

The bird has noticed that, now that a new institution called “consumer projection” is added to the monitors, and the whole thing has come to a stand-still and everything is dying a natural death.

On the 20th August 2024 at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education weekly press meeting, the Wise Bird overheard the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Madam Kadiatu Kargbo was saying the closure of shops involving in the sale of substandard Iron Rods in Freetown by the government will continue in the interest of the general public.

With all due respect to the Minister, that was not enough; why not saying goods generally but only talking of Iron Rods leaving expired foods which are all over the country.

The bird would have thought that, the Ministry should go around targeting all shops selling substandard foods not only Iron Rods shops should be targeted.

The patriotic and uncompromising bird is of the view that, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and that of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation are all toothless bull dogs.

Before the advent of the WAKA FINE buses, for example, a statement was issued out promising of restraining other vehicles from plying the Abacha Street, and that no vehicle should park at the Abacha Street to load or unload.

The statement of caution turned out just like throwing water on a duck’s back, the statement did not have effect anywhere.

Today the situation at Abacha Street is worse than it was before; vehicles are parking loading and unloading starting from Eastern police up to PZ.

The bird is of the view that, in Sierra Leone today laws to punish defaulters are meant only for the poor, almost all the vehicles loading and unloading at Abacha Street belong to the top class business people— they are above the law to say the least.