By: Mohamed Jalloh
The Uncle Sankara Media platform in collaboration with the National Comission for Social Action (NaCSA) and the Ministrty of Gender and Children`s Affairs has hobnobs with Krootown Road Market Women on the 12th January 2023.
The socializing event was held at the Krootwn Road Market which was championed by Brigadier Sankara, a journalist as a way of discussing the successes of the Bio led government in the past four years.
Brigadier Sankara assured the market women of delivering their concerns and complains to NaCSA particularly the one bordering on the cash transfer payments to the market women.
He said he is aware that few of the market women have not received their cash transfer but assured them that during the next registration those who were not registered will be included in the scheme.
Uncle Sankara said he has brought along two important women in the Bio led government in the persons of Manty Tarawallie, the Gender Minister and Isata Macarthy the NaCSA commissioner to talk on the welfare of the market women and the Sierra Leonean women as a whole.
Manty Tarawally, the gender affairs Minister said she wants to see more women engaged in business and was elated to inform them about the Gender Bill to be signed by President Bio next week that would benefit the entire women in Sierra Leone.
“Women can now own and inherit land everywhere in Sierra Leone, women can now access bank loans without being accompanied by a male spouse,30% of activities of MDA`s must now involve women and 5000 jobs awaiting women in all sectors”, the Gender Minister disclosed.
Madam Tarawally further disclosed that through the work of the Ministry, street children has drastically reduced because some have been reunited with their families, whiles some are being sent to NaCSA for support and others are being adopted overseas.
The Minister concluded by urging the market women not to forget president Bio come June 24th 2023 because he has brought them a lot of benefits.
The guest speaker, Sao Hannah, Isata Macarthy send warm greetings from president Bio to the Krootown road market women and said she is no stranger to them because she buys from them on a daily basis.
She told them that president Bio has made NaCSA a permanent entity of government and she is fortunate to be the first female commissioner of NaCSA whose activities and programmes affect women greatly.
Commissioner Macarthy said NaCSA`s work touches the lives of the poorest of the poor because it rolls out social safety net programmes.
She stated that during the Covid-19 lock down, NaCSA does not only support market women through cash transfers but it assisted a lot of vulnerable groups in the entire country devoid of political affiliation.
“We targeted 95 markets in the western area and supported about 91.000 people from Jui to Funkia markets” she revealed, and further assured the Krootown Road market women of continuing with the cash transfer scheme even after the June 24 2023 elections.
Madam Macarthy revealed that NaCSA`s work include building schools and health facilities in remote areas and building feeder roads and storage facilities to give opportunity for agriculture to thrive.
Fatmata kamara, the chairlady of the Krootown market applauded president Bio, Uncle Sankara platform, the minister of gender and NaCSA commissioner for remembering the women of Krootown road market.
She said loans from other financial institutions usually come with high interest rates but with NaCSA it has dished out le 1.390.000 for free to the krootown road market women.
The chairlady of the Krootown Market Women urges NaCSA to look into the affairs of those who have not received their share of the free cash transfer.
Another market woman who goes by the Marima, said the Le1.390.000 is her biggest business money she has received and as a single parent she said she utilized it on her business and provided lunch for her school going children.