-Weah’s inaugural promise questioned
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Disappointment and frustration have been coming from marketers over police destruction of their market stalls in Monrovia’s main waterside commercial district.
After Sunday’s demolition and clashes with police, hundreds of marketers gathered in the area chanting: “We are more than Spectators in our own Economy,” expressing disappointment over government action’s action and a promise President Weah made in his inaugural speech more than two years ago.
After their outburst on Monday, President Weah later ordered the rebuilding of the marketers stall at various market sites.
The marketers condemned the action taken by the government by breaking their market tables, something some of them said was done without any prior notice.
One of the marketers who spoke with www.newspublictrust.com, Finda Joseph a female said the action of government really hurting them, because they were not notified by government prior to breaking their market tables.
Madam Joseph added that what is seems to be troubling for most of them is that they took Access Bank loans; and more besides they are single ladies without any relationship so their market is everything to them She wondered, how they will survive in the midst of Coronavirus crisis.
She stated that the action taken by the Weah Administration appears like they are not tax payer but noting that every day they pay tickets fees to Liberia Marketing Association.
Another marketer, Jokie Brooks in an interview on Monday said he thinks the government people or police are the Coronavirus, because they are in their close numbers dispersing crowd without observing the COVID-19 protocol put in place by health authorities.
He said it is from their market they get their livelihood. And now that government has destroyed their market stalls, how will they survive when the government has not provided anything to its citizens that they can depend on to make a living.
For her parts, Madam Patient Major another marketer at the Waterside market, said they saw the Liberia National Police from the Monrovia City Police last Saturday night destroying their market tables. But Madam Major said when they went she asked, she was told that it was due to Coronavirus to avoid over crowdedness.
According to her, the government’s destruction of their market tables was done unknown to them. And furthermore, she said there is nowhere for them to sell, noting that it is from their market that they pay their children’s school fees, rent and provide other livelihood support for their families.
Madam Major further maintained that if government has such intention, there should have been prior notice and relocation already in place. But nothing of such was done when their market is everything they have to meet their daily needs.
She said many of them are indebted to Access Bank and Brac loan, asking how does the government except them to pay it?
Benedictus T. Mah, another marketer asked: When did President Weah get to know that the water market and others market are parked when it at that very spot he seeking their votes.
Mr. Mah disclosed that he normally heard people saying that President Weah has the country in his heart, but it this week’s action does not demonstrate this.
He explained that in as much they are not selling, store owners will not sell, thus making it better for everyone to observe the Coronavirus safety measures, rather than for some people while others are out of business.
Marketer Mah also spoke about the scandal concerning the US$25 million mop-up exercise that was carried out by the Finance Minister Samuel Tweah. He said the report and actions concerning that scandal “is still in funeral home awaiting burial”, but yet there is no accountability. And the government is only exercising power over marketers who they have power over.
But while marketers were condemning government action to demolish the market stalls, some passersby were also commending the government action for free movement at the waterside.
“If Liberia should be develop compare to other countries, Liberian should be law abiding citizens,” one of them said.
Meanwhile, the Police Inspector General Patrick T. Sudue said on Monday that the government’s action was to decongest the market, adding that the government is aware that it is the livelihood of Marketers with their markets.
The leaders of the marketers on Monday met with national police authorities at the LNP headquarters to resolve the matter, because the government is own by the citizens.
IG Sudue was however hopeful that the matter will be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone involved.