By Moses M. Tokpah,mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- Several disenchanted Goba Chop women in Kakata City, Margibi County over the weekend demonstrated against “forceful relocation” allegedly carried out by the Superintendent of the Liberia Marketing Association Margibi Chapter, Daniel Benson.
The women in their numbers blocked the main street of Kakata opposite ‘SAPO’, an entertainment center close to the Goba Chop Market Ground thus forcing cars and motorbikes to use the VIP to Barcolleh Health Center route.
Speaking to www.newspublictrust.com during the protest, the on the scene of the demonstration said Mr. Benson has lately informed them to vacate the area and be relocated to the World Bank Community in front of the store of Mr. Sackie Flomo, the owner of the Lofa Mineral Water Company in Kakata.
The women in separate statements noted that Mr. Benson’s decision is not in their interest on grounds that the distance is far and that they cannot afford to go home at night.
The angry women also asserted that it will be risky for them to leave the new site after selling at night taking into consideration the high criminal rate in the Country.
“We will not be able to go to Sackie Flomo place to sell because the distance is far, the zogos are around and we can’t go sell then when we coming back in the night they come jump on us and take our money, our phones and even harm us; so the thing Benson took from Mr. Flomo for us to go to his place let him give it back because we are not going there,” the women added.
The women said they are the bread winners of their families; as such they cannot risk their lives. Some said it is through their petty businesses they are sending their children to school
According to them, another reason for which they are not willing to move to the new site is that their customers will not afford going to buy from them based on the distance.
One of the Goba Chop Women, Olivia Kandakai in an angry tone said the Superintendent on Saturday morning moved on the Goba Chop field with a group of men and begun damaging their market tables.
Mrs. Kandakai said: “I am in action because Benson brought a group this morning round 6:0’clock he know his group, I saw him with group of men I live right here and I was standing there this morning looking at them chakilaing (destroying) our table bursting our stake them saying that we will not sell here no more”.
In her statement, Mrs. Kandakai said they do not know the reason for which Mr. Benson is forcefully removing them from the spot which they have occupied for years without hindrance.
According to her, the LMA Margibi Branch head did not give them prior notice until Friday, the day to the implementation of his decision (the alleged forceful removal). “Yesterday Benson only came and said I don’t want to see you’re here tomorrow, is that the way you approach your customers” she explained”.
A mother of six children and two grandchildren, Mrs. Kandakai said her husband is working the CDC government and any time she calls him, his only response is he has not being paid adding that after every seven day she buys 25kg rice from her market money.
With this, the grandmother said if anyone tempers with her market table it means that they have tempered with her life as such they should stay away from her table.
When contact, Mr. Daniel Benson said he has informed the marketers about plan for their relocation on several occasions asking them to get prepare but they refused to listen to his call.
“I just said it that I have come to them on a series of occasions, I have come to them and I told them this place is not a market ground please I have gotten a place for you come and see the place and begin preparing the place because when I get ready I will come for you,” Mr. Benson explained.
At the same time, the LMA Margibi Superintendent said that the last time he visited the site was on Friday October 25, 2019, when he asked the marketers to move to the new site but they ignored him and insisted that they will not leave.
Mr. Benson admitted dismantling the marketers’ tables on grounds that they refused to adhere to his mandate. Mr. Benson refuted the women’s claim that he received gift or bribe from Mr. Flomo for them to be relocated to his business area in the World Bank Community.