By Saidu Jalloh, Daily Scope Reporter
The Freetown City Council and the Monuments and Relics Commission have agreed on joint measures to protect the historic De Ruyter Stone as preparations advance for the construction of the new King Jimmy Market.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and Commission Chairman Dr. Joseph Ben Kaifala met this week to discuss preservation plans. Though the 17th-century national monument is not within the project site, officials confirmed the €413,200 EU-funded development will include provisions to preserve and showcase the stone during and after construction.
As part of the initiative, FCC and the Commission will launch a design competition open exclusively to female architects, graduates, and students. The competition seeks proposals for a protective display structure to house the monument.
The meeting also featured the handover of a recovered commemorative plaque from the former Howe Street residence of exiled Asantehene Prempeh I to the Monuments and Relics Commission for preservation.
Procurement for the new King Jimmy Market is ongoing. The project is scheduled for completion within 10 months of commencement.
Officials described the engagement as evidence of the city’s commitment to aligning infrastructure growth with the protection of Sierra Leone’s cultural heritage.
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