MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Liberian Government says plans are underway to construct four additional market buildings at the Omega Complex in Paynesville.
The move is to provide suitable space to accommodate marketers relocated from the Red-light.
In an ELBC interview Tuesday, August 3, 2021, acting Public Works Minister, Ruth Coker Collins, disclosed that she was mandated to do so by President George Weah.
“We have four separate contractors hired by President George Weah to do the construction work; the four additional markets will be completed in the next twenty days, says the Acting public works Minister.
She continued: “A market that will cover one acre of land and the construction is currently ongoing.”
Minister Collins assured that the additional markets will assist in easing the difficulties being experienced by marketers at the Omega site.
She, however, urged the marketers to remain calm as the Ministry is doing all it can to implement the President’s mandate.
‘We actually feel the frustration of the marketers. We just want to tell them that in as much as we all feel the same, there must be guidelines set-up to regulate our actions, thereby yielding out progressive results,” she said.
Minister Collins said that despite the scarce space at the market, there is still a considerable capacity to adequately accommodate many of the marketers seen lingering outside the market premises.
She maintained that the Ministry will discourage any further regrouping of marketers in Red-light, which many of the marketers have sought as an alternative.
The public works Minister attributed the huge traffic at the Omega site to the rash exodus of marketers found outside the confines of the market.
Minister Collins noted that contrary to speculations permeated in the public that the Ministry is not working to take siege of the current situation, the Ministry is working assiduously to guarantee favorable conditions of the marketers.
She called on well-meaning Liberians, the media as well as relevant stakeholders to join hands in encouraging the marketers to remain calm and take care of the market structure built by the President.
Minister Collins called for mutual understanding from the local traders.
She believes the flood constantly experienced at the market is as a result of a locked drainage system.
The public works Minister alleged that the marketers should be held liable for the clotting of the drainage because of their constant infusing of refuse into it.
By: Zechariah S. Jigbeh
