The Impact of clique activities on the socio-economic well-being of residents in Bo City

The study investigated the impact of clique activities on the socioeconomic well-being of residents in Bo City, highlighting the significant atrocities committed by the cliques and making recommendations based on its findings. This research used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research designs. The study targeted 130 respondents. Key among those targeted were youths, police personnel, parents, clique group leaders, ghetto owners, the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police, staff of the Ministry of Social Welfare, and traders. For this study, primary and secondary data sources were explored, and the data was analyzed using simple statistical techniques such as frequency counts, percentages, and measures of central tendency. The finding revealed that security personnel should continue to train and sensitize key actors and community members to detect and address early crime signals. Findings from the study also revealed that a vast majority, 91%, of the targeted population believe cliques contribute little or nothing to the development of their communities. Furthermore, it was revealed that clique activities in the community lead to social exclusion. Youths whose actions have been labelled as delinquent are often considered unfit for purpose and, therefore, excluded from community functions. Such exclusions reduce young people's ability to develop self-confidence. The study concluded that the government should provide scholarships for school-going youths and effective free education so that people experiencing poverty can send their children to school. This will ultimately decrease clique activities and increase the socioeconomic well-being of residents in Bo.