Africa 24 news
The business sector is hit very badly throughout the year of 2023 in Sierra Leone.
This is especially felt in the capital Freetown as strikes, protests and coups were happening in the year 2023.
Starting from January to December, there had been many reports of civilian casualties trapped in days’ protests before, during and after election’s periods in the country.
By June 12, there was a serious sit-down strike lasting for three days in this year, a situation which clamped down many businesses.
People could not sell as strikes were very severe in the country, and this resulted to the many arrests of people as they took to the streets demanding the release of a national electoral voters’ register.
As protests and civilian strikes happened, business activities are made to crumble up. Those who own open market stalls could not come out to their business places to sell due to deep fears and panic.
On the eve of election in June, there were reported deaths of people by police and military officers in Freetown. The sad events before polling day on June 24 this year led to the collapse of several businesses across the country.
The capital and urban places in the provinces: Makeni city, Bo city, Kenema city, Kono town, etc. were gripped with horrific news on social media of soldiers and police patrolling the streets in Freetown ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and local councils’ elections.
Just after the announcement of the official results by Chief electoral commissioner, Mr Mohamed Konneh, on 27th June, 2023, Sierra Leoneans became more panic as tensions soared between the ruling government SLPP which was declared the winner and the opposition government, APC.
Those dark days saw the country under siege as people worried over their safety. Life only bounced back four months after June 27th election’s results were declared.
And so business activities started gaining momentum but were short-lived in the month of November, 2023.
That was after a failed coup attempt on Sunday November 26th 2023 at an army’s amoury at Wilberforce barracks in Freetown. The coup shortly followed with a night curfew announced by government on Monday 27.
The night restriction on people’s movement was starting at 9: 00pm to 6: am, something that seriously affected night business sellers.
The latest curfew and the previous multiple civilians’ sit-down strikes could have cost millions and billions of leones losses on business people and the government.
And since government has pronounced a new legislation by 2024 that will see an increase on most imported goods, signs of more weather darkening still hang on the business sector in Sierra Leone.