AYV News, March 10, 2026
Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh, over the weekend visited Lumley Market where he interacted with traders and assessed the prices of basic commodities as part of efforts to stay connected with everyday market realities.
Dr. Sengeh said the visit was prompted by a question he received during a radio interview about the cost of a cup of rice in local markets—something he admitted he did not know at the time.
“Yesterday, I was on air when a radio presenter asked me if I knew the price of a cup of rice in the market. I said I didn’t. I realised that it had been a long time since I went to the market. As leaders, I believe we must always be closer to the people,” he explained.
The Chief Minister said he decided to visit the market personally and brought along his daughter, Kadija, to experience the environment while engaging traders directly.
During his visit, Dr. Sengeh learned that the price of a cup of rice at Lumley Market ranges between NLe4 and NLe10, depending on the brand, with imported “fen-fen” 100 percent broken rice selling at the higher end of the price range.
He also discovered that customers had rejected the recently introduced standard measuring cup developed by the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, saying the size was too large for their purchasing power. According to him, many traders and buyers prefer smaller portions that better match their daily budgets.
In response, the Chief Minister suggested that the Standards Bureau consider introducing an additional smaller standard cup to meet the needs of consumers.
The visit also revealed broader concerns among traders regarding sanitation and market management. According to the Chief Minister, many traders complained about poor sanitation conditions and said the Freetown City Council engages them mainly during the collection of market dues rather than on issues affecting their daily operations.
Market women also called for their relocation to the newly constructed Lumley Market facility built by the government under the administration of President Julius Maada Bio.
Dr. Sengeh assured the traders that government is committed to addressing their concerns and facilitating their movement to the new facility as soon as possible.
Reflecting on the experience, the Chief Minister said the visit reminded him of his childhood memories of going to the market with his mother while growing up in Bo. He added that sharing the experience with his daughter made the outing even more meaningful.
He noted that conversations with traders, young people working in the market, and elderly women discussing their hopes for the country left him optimistic about Sierra Leone’s future.
“Things are hard in the world right now, but we are doing our best to protect our citizens and listen to them,” he said, reiterating government’s commitment to achieving its vision of transforming Sierra Leone into a middle-income country by 2039.
