By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
The Freetown City Council (FCC) has attained a major aspect of its transformation drive with the relocation of dozens of beggars from the Central Business District of Freetown.
The Council said 62 beggars who used to live around the iconic Cotton Tree at the center of the city have been relocated to Moriba Village outside Waterloo. It followed the payment of Le37million as rental allowance to the beggars.
The relocation is part of the Freetown Beautification scheme, under the ‘Transform Freetown Plan’ of Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyer. The objective, according to Council officials, is to rid the city of unsightly scenes as part of efforts to attract tourists and investors.
The FCC is concerned about the sanitary condition around strategic parts of the city. One such area is the vicinity of the historic Cotton Tree, which had been colonized by beggars who spend the day begging from passers-by. The Cotton Tree also stands at the front entrance of the State House.
Most of these beggars, who include women and children and who hail from the provinces, spend the night in nearby unoccupied buildings and makeshift structures.
Koma Hassan Kamara, spokeswoman for the City Council, told Politico that the Cotton Tree beggars were moved off from the environment because they occupied an area that’s hosting important offices in the city. She said the move is also meant to “return” their dignity to them.
The relocation scheme is being implemented in phases, through donor support. In this first phase, besides the payment of rental allowances, the beneficiaries will be provided support in the form of food and household utensils in the short term. And they will also receive an annual payment to meet their basic welfare needs.
“Under the phase two, business capital and skills training will be provided for the beggars so that they can have their livelihoods,” said Ms Kamara.
According to her, the decision to relocate the beggars was reached through negotiation, which was sealed with a Memorandum of Understanding committing the beggars not to return to the place. She said a needs assessment was also undertaken by the Council, which informs the implementation of the project.
“One of the terms of the MOU is that the beggars must not return to the CBD area. If they return there, the assistance could be withdrawn from them,” she said.
But despite the announcement by the Council, some beggars were still living in the vicinity of the Cotton Tree. Aruna Kamara, one of about eight beggars found there on Monday, complained that they were left out of the FCC relocation scheme. Mr Kamara and colleagues live in the Taylor Cummings Garden.
“At the time FCC officials visited the Cotton Tree vicinity, we prevailed upon them to include us in the project but they left us behind,” Kamara told Politico.
His colleague, Mohamed Kanu, added that they wouldn’t leave the area until they were relocated under a similar condition.
© 2019 Politico Online
