President Bio’s attention is needed in the manner and way lands are being sold by Government officials, especially around the capital Freetown. The struggle Sierra Leoneans go through to acquire land legally is cumbersome, yet the Lands Ministry not only continues to frustrate people while some are dying slowly. After going through the hassle of getting your documents, another group within the same government steps in to say the land you bought is illegal after producing all necessary documents to the effect.

The HQ Trading Company has become the latest casualty of the military's demolition exercise in Hastings, located in the Western Area Rural District of Freetown. The company’s newly constructed multistoried office complex was demolished on Tuesday 3rd September, 2024.
The Managing Director of HQ Trading Company (SL) Ltd, Dr. Abu Bakarr Bash-Taqi, expressed deep disappointment over the incident. HQ’s decision to establish its African Headquarters on land leased from the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) in 2012 was driven by the call from His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio for all patriotic citizens, both at home and abroad, to contribute to the country's development by attracting and investing in Sierra Leone. Over the past year alone, HQ has invested nearly one million dollars in properties at Hastings and Six Miles.

As many will recall, HQ Trading Company (SL) Ltd, established in 2005, is a homegrown business that played a pivotal role in Sierra Leone’s transportation and logistics sector, particularly from 2009 to 2015. During this period, HQ was a leading service provider to major mining companies in the country, including African Minerals, London Mining, Addax, Miro, and Socfin. With its Green, White and Blue branded fleet of heavy-duty vehicles and earthmoving equipment, HQ was not only a key player in the industry but also one of the largest private sector employers in post-conflict Sierra Leone.

Dr. Bash-Taqi voiced serious concerns about the military's approach, noting that the lack of prior notice or judicial procedure in the demolition campaign could deter both local and foreign investments in Sierra Leone.