By George M.O. Williams
In a random view finding, Premier News sought the views of people involved in different trades in Aberdeen and Lumley Markets, asking them what they wanted the Government of Sierra Leone to focus on in a bid to improve their livelihood in the next six months after the just concluded election.
A Bike rider, Amadu Samura said that there are many activities that the Government of Sierra Leone to involve but more importantly they (the Government) should focus on making the cost of living appreciated by Sierra Leoneans.
He added that the prices of food commodities should reduce and that there should also be effective price control mechanisms instituted by the Government of Sierra Leone.
Samura also mentioned that due to the increase on the price of commodities a plate of cookery has also doubled to Nle, 15 or 20 from Nle 8 or 10 respectively.
Two Seamstresses, Fatu Kargbo and Tayatu Sundufu, both hopes that the government reduces the price of stitching materials and the sewing machines citing that the price of the machines and other related material has doubled in the previous years.
They opined that the Government has not done any development to improve the livelihoods of Sierra Leoneans after the 2018 and just concluded general elections.
Shoemaker and Art and Crafts Designer, Kemoh Kamara, holds the view that the Government of Sierra Leone needs to put more attention on developing the middle level manpower skill base to improve their livelihood.
He mentioned that personally if the Government provides the financial support for him, he is willing to capacitate youths who are willing to learn, as a way of luring them away from the use of harmful drugs and unemployment.
Kamara compared the approach which the Guinean Government of the 90’s, used by focusing on improving the middle level man power based by capacitating young Guineans in driving, trade and craftswork thus implore the Government of Sierra Leone to replicate same to improve the livelihood of young people.
He stated that if the youth are empowered they will not wait on Government to support them nor will they involve in taking harmful drugs. He also prayed for peace in Sierra Leone.
A Charcoal Seller, Mamusu Kamara said that the Government should provide financial support to petty traders and ensure that goods are always available in the Country.
A Petty Trader and Single Parent of Six Children, Kadiatu Kamara said that the Government should focus on tax reduction strategies on food commodities, so that wholesalers will in turn reduce selling prices.
As a parent of six, Kadiatu also mentioned that there is no means of controlling prices of commodities increases on a daily basis citing that many wholesalers tie their increase in prices to the rise in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar which she said does not materialize as they are not buying in dollars but in Leones.
She observed that prices of commodities increase every Monday.