The once-thriving Rally Town Market has been reduced to a death trap, posing an imminent threat to the lives of hundreds of marketers and customers. Investigations have revealed alarming structural failures, including the sinking of the entire structure. Dangerous shifts in market tables and support beams, as well as leaks of water in the market, make it difficult for marketers to transact with customers, causing severe flooding during rainfall, which submerges stalls and goods.
Several marketers expressed disappointment in the Liberian Marketing Association for doing nothing to address the deplorable conditions of the market. Speaking to reporters during the weekend in Monrovia, the marketers alleged that the LMA is only interested in collecting money without any improvement to the market structure.
They claimed that despite the fees they pay every day, they cannot see any improvement in the structure. ”Today, no customer has come to my table to ask for any of my commodities because nobody is interested in coming to a place that is a death trap. All the customers would rather stay outside and buy all their goods. This is causing hardship in providing for my family. This is my only source of income”, Ma Mary lamented.
Ma Mary’s story is not unique. Many marketers at Rally Town Market are facing similar challenges, struggling to make ends meet due to the deplorable conditions of the market.
Another Marketer said the situation at the market is not only a threat to the lives of marketers and customers, but also a threat to their livelihood.
“We are breadwinners for our families, and if we are unable to sell our goods, it will have a ripple effect on our entire family,” she complained. The marketers are calling on the relevant authorities to intervene and address the issue urgently. They are appealing to the Monrovia City Corporation, Liberia Marketing Association, and Ministry of Public Works to take immediate action to prevent a potential disaster.
By: Joseph Sirleaf/Contributing Writer
