By: Problyn J. Alpha
Traders at the Gbense Market in Koidu City Kono District have appealed to the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to have an additional Registration Centre at the aforementioned market.
The Kono District Chairman of Sierra Leone Traders Union, Osman Fofanah has reiterated the popular demand of his constituents to have an additional Registration Centre at the Gbense Market. He intimated this medium that before the popular demand of his constituents the idea of having or creating an additional Registration centre at the Gbense Market has long since been his concern; noting he has made it known in a meeting organized by a group called Kono Heritage.
Fofanah said the creation of an additional center at the Market will not only help the traders but resident within the Market community. As a businessman himself, the Chairman maintained that it is always difficult for traders to close their shops or businesses for any activity and therefore pleaded with ECSL to create an additional Registration Centre at the Gbense Market.
Meanwhile, a similar appeal was also made by the Public Relations Officer of the Sierra Leone Traders Union Kono District, Mr. Kalus.
According to him, traders over the years have found it very difficult to register because there is no registration centre where they do their business.
When contacted about the demand for the establishment of a voter registration centre at the aforesaid market for traders to get themselves registered, the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone Kono Manager, Usman Joe Kamara stated that establishing a centre at the market will be at the detriment of most of the traders that will have themselves registered at the centre especially for those residing far off the market to exercise their franchise on the day of the election.
He added that some traders will have to cover the distance to access the centre and that on the day of elections there will be no commercial transportation to convey the voters to their various centres to vote and as a result, the marketplace is a
a meeting point where people come to sell and buy their goods.
Meanwhile, Manager Osman Kamara, therefore, advised traders and the people of Kono to register at the nearest voter registration centres in their communities to avoid what he described as disenfranchisement.
Manager Kamara further stated that the commission has registered and confirmed at least twenty-nine thousand and twenty-four people from day one to the sixth of the ongoing voter registration process in the district.