Harper, Maryland County — Market activities across Maryland County have officially resumed following Monday’s countywide shutdown staged by aggrieved marketers demanding the removal of County Market Superintendent Abraham Wilson.
By Peter P. Toe Jr.
Trading returned to normal in major commercial hubs, including Pleebo and Harper, after county authorities intervened and initiated mediation efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing dispute.
However, despite reopening their stalls, market women have maintained a firm stance on the controversial fee increments.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, several marketers confirmed that while they have agreed to resume business operations in the interest of economic stability, they will only continue paying the previous rates — LR$20 daily ticket fees and LR$500 table registration fees.
The marketers insist they will not comply with the recently increased fees, which raised daily tickets to LR$50 and registration to LR$2,000.
“We are back to sell because our children depend on us,” Martha Newton, a trader stated. “But we will continue to pay our usual amount. Until there is a proper Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) election and new leadership is voted in, we will not agree to these imposed fees.”
According to them, the decision is collective and will remain in effect until elections are conducted under the Liberia Marketing Association to determine new leadership.
“We don’t have toilet, no bathroom, dirt taking over, what have they been doing with the money we been paying?” Said a pepper seller who preferred to remain anonymous.
The market women argue that the ongoing tension is not solely about fee increments but about leadership accountability and transparency within the market administration.
Meanwhile, they are demanding that an LMA election be held to allow marketers to democratically choose their preferred leadership. Until then, they say they will resist any new financial impositions.
