As marketers abandon the facility
By Jerromie S. Walters
For decades, and amid their flaws, different administrations have asserted their own efforts to the infrastructural development of Liberia, through the implementation of major projects which they hoped the citizens would enjoy for a long period. Unfortunately, this aspiration often turn the other way around, as complex challenges have hindered the use of several exquisite development that have been undertaken by governments.
This situation has led to beautiful roads being derailed in few years and other structures being left in a horrific state a year or two after its completion. But at this point, it is not just the demeaning transformation of a once beautiful road, but the unique 14th Gobachop market that has now been abandoned, a situation that has led to the facility being used as shelter for at-risk-youth In Paynesville.
14th Gobachop market
Sensitive of one of the many tragedies that hadms long handled the visibility of Liberia’s progress, Liberia’s former President George Weah, on the sunny afternoon of On Friday, March 29, 2019, made a passionate appeal to Liberians, especially residents of Paynesville, to maintain the 14th Gobachop market, a million-dollar modern state-of-the-art market structure he broke ground for that day, in the Omega Community, Paynesville.
Weah: “It is one thing to build these kinds of important structures and another thing to manage or maintain them properly.” But just few years after the completion and dedication of this project, his concern has been acknowledged by the very same marketers he advised that faithful day, as the facility has been abandoned by the very marketers it was intended to benefit.
Also, The Ministry of Public Works, under the leadership of outgoing Minister Ruth Cooker-Collins, in 2022, was constrained to construct additional market structures for markeers at the famous Omega Market, after it was proven that the facility initially constructed couldn’t entertain them all (marketers) after they were relocated from Red light by the government.
As they pleaded, the media reported the intrinsicity of their call and the government accordingly listened and ensured that additional strictures were erected to enable the marketers do their businesses in a safe and cinducive environment.
Unfortunately, it has taken the wrong turn as the government’s ambitious million-dollar market project, Omega Market,and other smaller structures later built for them ((Marketers) have been abandoned by the very marketers it was intended to benefit. These individuals, who were relocated from the unsafe conditions of the Red Light Market, have chosen to move from within the modern Omega Complex, to Redlight, as well as the main street along the Monrovia-Kakata highway, despite the inconvenience it presents to both themselves and potential customers.
The decision to relocate the marketers from the Red Light Market was motivated by the hazardous conditions they had endured for years. Located at an opened space in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, the Red Light Market became an accident-prone area due to heavy traffic and a lack of proper infrastructure. Moreover, security concerns and unsanitary conditions further compounded the risks faced by the marketers and their customers.
Abandoning Omega (The marketers)
Like many of them we spoke with, Garmai Ballahattributed the cause of their decision to abandon the government’s million-dollar Omega Market complex by stating that their colleagues had previously relocated to the commercial hub of Redlight and along the road in Omega.
With the mass exodus of other vendors, she believes that staying behind would result in a significant loss of customers. In order to remain competitive, Emanuel Johnson, another marketer says they made the difficult choice to join their peers, knowing that this move would impact their business operations and the convenience for potential customers.
However, despite the significant investment and the government’s best intentions, the marketers made the decision to abandon the Omega Market complex and instead set up mini shops along the road. Their reasoning? The presence of other marketers who had already established a customer base in the street market.
However, despite efforts to contact the President of the Liberia Marketers Association (LMA) via her Orange number, she wasn’t reachable.
In 2020, Liberian President George Manneh Weah dedicated the 14-Gobachop Market to marketers of Paynesville in Omega Community, which it was hoped would help alleviate street selling and congestion at the Red Light.
President George Weah broke grounds for the construction of the modern state-of-the-art market structure “14th [Gobachop] International Market”, in the Omega Community, Paynesville, on Friday, March 29, 2019.
It’s a US$3.8 million project, funded by the Government of Japan and was m implemented by the Liberian Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE).
The 14th Gobachop International Market was constructed by BM Construction Company. It contains distinct compartments for the sale of different food stuffs and other goods, including car park.
The modern marketws built to house 4,000 marketers and bring to an end their ordeal of selling their wares under unfavorable considerations that endanger their health, safety and their goods.
