August 18, 2021
Business community mostly Fullah and Lebanese in Bo Town have on the 17th August, 2021 closed down shops in Bo. The closure of the shops came as a result of a meeting held on August 6th of this year at the Bo City council Chambers to decongest the roads which the business owners said the action will hinder their businesses after they signed a communiqué with the Council for the operation to carry on.
On Monday 16th August 2021 the Police, SLRSA and the City Council Metropolitan police cramped down on abandoned vehicles parked before business houses to allow free flow of traffic in the business center.
In a meeting held on Tuesday 16th August this year with Bo city council and the business community at the council Chamber, the Resident Minister for Southern Region Mr. Mohamed E.K Allie after listening to both parties, condemned the action of the business people that their actions will create problem in the city. He noted that the closure of building material and food stuff shops will make the populace suffer. Mr. Allie said that the behavior of the business community was nothing but “sabotage to the Council and the government by extension. He called on the Business community to inculcate the habit of always channeling their grievances to the appropriate authorities other than doing anything that undermines the security of the state.
Chairman of the Lebanese community in Bo, Mr. Mohamed Fawaz also intimated that the situation was completely unfortunate. He therefore pleaded with the Council to allow their delivery vans to take loads from their shops as they have customers who come and buy in large quantities.
Mr. Fawaz apologized to the Bo City council and the people of Bo for closing the shops which brought untold suffering to the masses.
Veronica Josephine Fortune, Chief Administrator of the Bo City council said they were not expecting the business people to have closed their shops. She stated that the Council engaged them and agreed that there is a document to the effect which justifies that the conditions were agreed upon by both parties.
Mrs. Veronica Josephine Fortune furthered that the council is for the people and therefore encouraged the Business Community to direct whatever concerns they might have with council staff to authorities in the council so that such matters it will be resolved amiably.