By Josephine Sesay

Calaba Town Market, one of the busiest trading hubs in the eastern part of Freetown, is facing a growing sanitation crisis due to the lack of proper toilet facilities.

Despite the high volume of daily traders and customers, the market has no functioning public toilet. This has forced many people to resort to unsafe and unhygienic alternatives, raising concerns among traders, residents, and public health observers.

A visit to the market shows that, in the absence of toilets, some traders and customers urinate in corners or behind stalls. The situation has resulted in foul odors and an environment widely described as both uncomfortable and hazardous to public health.

“This is a big market, but we don’t have any toilet here,” said Mariama Kamara, a vegetable seller. “When you are pressed, you have no choice but to find a corner. It is not right, but what can we do?”

Others say the challenge becomes even greater when they need access to proper facilities.

“If you want to use a toilet, you have to leave the market and go to nearby houses to beg,” explained Ibrahim Sesay, a fish trader. “Sometimes they allow you, sometimes they don’t. It is very stressful.”

Residents living near the market say the situation is affecting their environment and daily lives.

“People come around our houses asking to use the toilet all the time,” said Hawa Johnson, a nearby resident. “And some still go behind buildings to ease themselves. It is creating a serious sanitation problem for us.”

Public health experts warn that the absence of toilet facilities in a crowded public space like Calaba Town Market significantly increases the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera and other sanitation-related illnesses.

Traders argue that the issue has been neglected for too long and are calling on authorities to take immediate action.

“We are not asking for too much,” said another trader who preferred to remain anonymous. “At least provide a proper toilet for us. This is about our health and dignity.”

Local authorities have yet to provide a clear timeline for addressing the problem, but community members insist that urgent intervention is needed.

For many, the situation at Calaba Town Market reflects a broader urban sanitation challenge, one that demands not only attention, but swift and sustainable solutions.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 20th April 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)