By Diana Coker
It is an undisputed fact that COVID-19 is having a negative toll on different facets in society. The Acting Manager of the popular China House in Freetown has recounted that before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, business was booming, with the turnout of customers being quite encouraging.
“Now the situation is completely different compared to what used to obtain before the outbreak in terms of sales,” Acting Manager Mohamed Bawoh said.
He said, “We have to put our staff on monthly rotation on duty in order to cut down on administrative cost, as the business is no longer making profit like before”.
COVID -19, he went on, has greatly affected the smooth operation of the business. “Our total sales now is about Le 800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Leones) per day, which is less than a $100,” he said adding that, “We used to sell millions of Leones before, but now we are merely managing to survive”.
Mr. Bawoh referred to China House as one of the most popular entertainment centers in Freetown, situated in the west end of the city and easily accessible from different routes.
“It was the best place to be on a Friday evening to dance and listen to live band musical performance during the pre-COVID era,” he said.
Speaking on the various facilities available, he said the complex is hosting a restaurant, cinema and a conference hall, all of which used to generate the necessary funds to run the day-to-day affairs as well as seeking the welfare of workers.
As a result of Government’s COVID-19 response and restrictions, he said the weekly Friday live band show and other commercially viable activities like showing football games, hosting of married receptions and renting out the conference facility for workshops and other social events, have been put on hold indefinitely.
Princess Kawa, the Chairperson of the China Friendship Society, also confirmed that sales were fine before COVID, but have dropped drastically.
She stated that before COVID, the food, especially the fried fish and hot goat pepper soup as well as assorted drinks, used to sell very fast.
“We had a 100 % sales in almost all the items sold, but things have taken a U-turn as a result of the pandemic,” she said rather frustratingly.
She went on to say that, “We have stopped selling fried fish and hot goat pepper because fish and meat have become very expensive in the market”.
According to Francis Kallon, one of the traditional customers, he has stopped going physically to the restaurant for fear of contracting the virus.
“I come here mainly because of the friendly atmosphere of relaxation and networking. It is not only for the food or to watch football match,” Kallon emphatically stated.
He described China House as his go-to place in terms of preference, noting that he has missed lot of fun and is therefore looking forward to witness the end of COVID-19.
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Government in its efforts to checkmate the spread of the virus, instituted measures such as a ban on public gatherings and social events, partial lockdown, ordering social distancing and hygiene practices, as well as promulgating a state of public emergency.
There is so far no credible data to show the extent to which businesses have been impacted, but what is clear is that should the situation continue as it is especially with the perpetual night time curfew, many businesses in the entertainment industry in particular, are bound to fold up, leaving thousands without job.
This story was put together with support from journalists for human rights (JHR) and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) human rights fellowship.
