By Ojuku Kangar, Jr. from Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
Since the declaration of the many weeks of State of Smergency, without a corresponding emergency aid/stimulus package, many have been going to bed on empty stomach.
The much awaited US$25 million government stimulus package, already approved by the Legislature, is yet to drip down especially to those most needy.
Conditions are becoming unbearable especially for those whose main source of income is petty trading, as number of buyers continues to drastically drop.
In line with the Stay Home order, everyone including marketers must clear the streets by 3Pm GMT.
During a random interview with market women recently in Liberia’s southern port city of Buchanan, which is 88 miles from Monrovia, some broke down in tears on account of the effect of the health crisis on their respective markets.
Explaining her ordeal, Aunt Mapue, a widow with seven children who sells palm nuts and ‘kiss meat’ in the Buchanan Central Market, said buying has been going on at a snail-pace due to the closure of schools.
Survival, she said, has become extremely hard for them, as her market; their only source of livelihood, no longer sells.
Women who sell cooked rice and soup on school campuses were regular buyers but with all schools shut by government as part of preventive measures against COVID-19, buying is slow, thus often causing the palm nuts to rot in her hands, she said.
“I pray that the stay home will totally take coronavirus from Liberia or else and starvation will take over the poor people,” Mapue tearfully explained.
For Ellen Joe, a charcoal seller, her experience is not too dissimilar to that of Mapue.
She said not up to two bags are sold during an entire week, something that has subjected her to untold economic hardship.
The situation, she noted is sinking them deep into poverty and gradually turning them into beggars.
In sorrowful tones, the women all said that though they were observing the social distancing regulation put in place by government as part of the preventive measures, the drastic drop in sale is making them to sell without profit.