By Andrew Chokpeleh
Freetown,4rd November 2025- Cline Town Kanikay, once a proud colonial hub and the birthplace of Fourah Bay College, now stands as a paradox, home to Sierra Leone’s largest industries, yet plagued by poverty, flooding, and neglect.
Nestled beside the nation’s main port, the community hosts industrial giants like LEOCEM, Pee Cee & Sons, and Gitex Company. Cement, rice, oil, milk, these essentials flow from Cline Town to the rest of the country. But for the residents living in its shadow, prosperity remains out of reach.
“We’ve lost our land to these factories, but gained nothing in return,” said Chief Ya Alimamy Thoronka II, a traditional leader who watches his community shrink beneath corporate expansion. “Flooding is constant, and no company has stepped in to help.”
The last major intervention came from philanthropist Mohamed Gento Kamara, who funded deep gutters to ease the floods. Since then, silence. LEOCEM once offered scholarships, but the Chief says the funds have vanished, whether mismanaged or diverted, no one knows.
Councillor Alpha Tejan points to Gitex’s towering fence as a symbol of disregard. “It blocks water flow and floods the slums,” he said. “If it collapses during heavy rains, it could be catastrophic.” He also accused the company of dumping waste near homes and the sea, a claim Gitex denies. Still, residents complain of foul odors and fear for their health.
Tejan is pushing for stronger corporate social responsibility (CSR), but admits that without enforcement, companies can choose to ignore the community’s needs.
John Simeon, a lifelong resident, sees another layer to the problem: exclusion. “Most jobs go to outsiders,” he said. “Our youth lack the education and skills to compete.” He’s now leading a grassroots movement to promote vocational training and rebrand the community’s image.
But the challenges run deeper. Mamie Fatu, who’s lived in Cline Town for 45 years, is alarmed by the rise of drug abuse, especially Kush. “We’re losing our young people,” she said. “If sober youth are already sidelined, what hope is there for those battling addiction?”
She and others are launching local initiatives to fight drug use and restore hope.
Cline Town Kanikay is a community of legacy and labor, yet its people remain on the margins of the wealth they help generate. Their stories echo a call for justice, dignity, and inclusion. As factories thrive, residents wait, not for charity, but for a fair share of the future.
