MONROVIA – Waterside Market, the biggest market in Central Monrovia, known for its overcrowdedness, is deserted this Monday morning with the presence of the Liberia National Police (LNP) even igniting more fear in marketers.
Report by J. H. Webster Clayeh, [email protected]
The Monrovia City Police on Sunday demolished several makeshift stalls in the market, especially the ones very close to the street.
According to the MCC, their action was part of efforts to reduce congestions as the country battles the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The demolition of market tables we carried out was in line with the new health regulations in an effort to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country. Besides, those structures were very close to the road making movement very difficult and forcing congestion. We cannot continue to have it like that, something needed to be done. We told them, we warned them before moving in,” Mr. Pekele Gbuapaye, Media Relations Officer, Monrovia City Corporation told FrontPageAfrica on Sunday.
But the marketers are more concerned about earning their living bread. For most of them, their daily food comes from their daily sales. So, the ban on selling and the subsequent demolition of market structures is a big blow.
Stores are allowed to open but with a restriction on how many persons can enter at a time. But most store owners down Waterside told FrontPageAfrica that they decided not to open today because of fear that the affected marketers would retaliate with violence.
Though a group of angry marketers gathered this morning at the market to express their disenchantment, the joint security force succeeded in dispersing them peacefully.
More Details to follow soon.