On Monday, 24th March 2024, the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), alongside the Minister of Trade, Labour, Transport, and other officials, conducted a pre-commissioning inspection of the on-going construction at the Sewa Ground Market, Victoria Park, Freetown.
The Director-General of NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, stated that the purpose of the visit was to obtain first-hand information about the current status of the construction project. He added that this visit would set the stage for His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to officially inaugurate the market, marking it ready to serve its intended purpose.
Abel Onomake, the project coordinator for the Sewa Ground Market, expressed gratitude to the Director-General of NASSIT, the ministers present, and their entourage for attending the pre-commissioning of the project. He thanked NASSIT for entrusting him with the responsibility to oversee the project.
He further explained that, after the project was assigned to him, he hired seven different contractors to work on various aspects of the site, ensuring time efficiency. “Seven different contractors were hired to handle different tasks on the market to ensure we deliver the project on time and complete it practically,” he stated.
Mr. Onomake proudly highlighted that the market was constructed with modern features, including CCTV cameras, large water storage facilities, and numerous warehouses to support the storage needs for the efficient operation of the market. He revealed that the market is as large as two combined football pitches and can accommodate over 2,500 traders. Additionally, it boasts a water storage capacity of 200,000 liters and has 40 restrooms, mainly for the traders and visitors to the market.
In his submission, the Minister of Employment, Labour, and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, lauded both NASSIT and the Project Coordinator for embarking on such a significant and lucrative project.
He added that the Sewa Ground Market will be one of the best markets in Freetown and will help address the issue of street trading in the Central Business District (CBD).
“With this type of building and its facilities, I firmly believe that street trading will soon be a thing of the past. Based on what I see before me, I can confidently inform His Excellency President Bio that the building is well structured with modern features. It is now 99% complete and is ready for commissioning,” he stated.
