By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia –In order to enforce the President’s mandate of regulating marketers, the Mayor of Kakata City, Margibi County, Emmanuel M. Goll has given guidelines to marketers.
Kakata is nearly 70 kilometers east of the Liberian capital, Monrovia.
The Mayor’s guidelines came barely a day after President George Manneh Weah declared a state of emergency instructing the Ministry of Internal Affairs to engage the leaders of the various marketing associations in the Counties under the “stay at home” order. Satisfactory arrangements are to be made about the operation of markets during the period, so as to ensure the observance of social distance and enhanced hygiene protocols,
Mayor Goll on Thursday, April 9, 2020 met with local marketing association’s heads and heads of market grounds at the Kakata City Hall and informed them about the guidelines he has instituted to prevent the spread of the Corona virus.
The Lord Mayor was speaking to the media immediately after the meeting said all marketers are to abide and adhere to every guideline revealed to them. He named some of the guidelines as the number of persons to be at a particular market ground daily, the issuance of ticket and regulation of consumers among others.
“If for example, you are to obtain ticket you are to sell on Monday and those that will be selling on Tuesday will obtain ticket on Tuesday with name written on it,” he added.
According to him, each market grounds will hold about 25 persons daily. But he might do some adjustments based on the condition of the various market places while street vendors maybe removed or be placed at the six feet distance.
The Kakata City Mayor said that more than ten consumers will not be allowed to enter a market place at once while those who will go to purchase their items may do so in less than ten to fifteen minutes in order to give chance to other consumers.
Drivers have also been admonished to park their vehicles ten to fifteen feet away from one another, the Mayor explained.
The Kakata City Mayor indicated that marketer who will violate the guidelines will be fined and taken to Court if he/she fails to pay whatever fine that will be imposed while drivers who will violate this mandate will be arrested and sent to Court.
He warned that heads of market places will also be disqualified if he/she is caught in the act of partiality during the issuance of tickets.
Mayor Goll meanwhile disclosed that the measures will take effect as of the date announced by President Weah.