Monrovia – Marketers in the bustling commercial district of Duala, Montserrado County, are raising concerns over declining sales, citing economic hardships that have significantly reduced their profits compared to previous years.
By Augustus D.R. Bortue, [email protected]
Duala Market serves as a vital trading hub and food distribution center, linking Liberia’s agricultural regions to Monrovia’s urban population. Despite its importance, the market faces persistent challenges such as traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental pollution.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa on Monday, May 19, several vendors—many of them young people—lamented that their daily earnings have dwindled, making life increasingly difficult.
“I no longer make good profits like I used to. Business is very slow,” said Annie Dickson, a mother of four and resident of the St. Paul Bridge Community, who sells fufu at Duala Market.
“Several years ago, buyers would flood my stall, and by the end of the day, everything would be sold. But now, I often return home with unsold goods,” she added in a somber tone.
Mrs. Dickson explained that whatever small profit she earns is used to feed her children, pay rent, and send them to school. “At the end of the day, I’m just living from hand to mouth,” she said.
Like Mrs. Dickson, other vendors selling drinks, rice, and various food provisions shared similar frustrations.
Samuel Wilson, a second-hand clothing dealer at central Duala Market, said sales have drastically slowed.
“Sometimes, I take my goods back home in the same condition I brought them. Only once in a while someone comes to buy. It’s tough, and I hope things improve soon,” he said.
When asked what could be causing the downturn in sales, Wilson pointed to the broader economic difficulties facing the country.
“If people don’t have money, they won’t buy. The government needs to work harder to fix the economy. If not, life will only get harder for us,” he emphasized.
The marketers also called on the Unity Party (UP)-led administration, under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, to urgently address the worsening economic conditions that are affecting everyday Liberians.
One major concern raised was the high exchange rate between the Liberian Dollar and the U.S. Dollar.
Currently, 1 U.S. Dollar is trading at L$198, a steep climb that marketers say is driving up the cost of goods and deepening their struggles.
“As long as the U.S. Dollar keeps rising unchecked, the hardship will continue, and ordinary Liberians like us will bear the brunt,” one vendor told FPA.
