President George M. Weah’s profound love, expressed for marketers in 2019 by his construction of a modern market hall in Du-Port Road community, has become a waste, as the community’s leadership has failed to maintain the facility and it has turned into a criminals’ hideout, motel and garbage center.
“Zogos here plenty. We can meet them sleeping in the morning,” Sarah Peter, a marketer said. “They can sleep under the market tables and leave dirt here.”
“The whole market is ghetto. On Sunday, zogos take over it,” Amos Z. George, Chairman of the Manicure and Pedicure Department, said, blasting the leadership for always collecting security fee but never on assignment. “The market’s authority in favor of zogos presence here because their children inside.”
The market, situated at the intersection of roads leading to Zubah Town, Du-Port Road intersection and Waterside, is an attraction of transaction. It was constructed and dedicated by President Weah on June 6, 2019 at a cost of US$244,000. It is 1,950 square meters, has office space about 10 square meters, with width 1,000 square meters and tables capacity of 400 plus meters, according to Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment’s boss, Pepci Quiwi Yeke, during the dedication program.
The market is mismanaged in a number of ways. It lacks security guards, janitors, maintenance team, among others. It is a hideout for street thugs who often assail pedestrians, snatching their belonging, running into the market hall and hiding under the tables. The “zogoes”, who sleep in the market, urinate, toilet and have sexual intercourse there. Used condoms are seen on tables early in the market.
“When we come in the morning to put our goods on the tables, [urine] ‘pepe’ scent and [toilet] ‘pupu’ all over the place,” a group of marketers said, expressing frustration on ‘zogoes’ using the market as ghetto and motel.
Since the market’s dedication and subsequent turning over to its authorities, the Superintendent, Martha Gbloso, has allegedly turned the place into a family union and corruption center–collecting weekly funds to pay unavailable security guards and garbage fee without garbage disposal. Marketers paid huge amounts to her upon the market’s dedication to secure tables and spots.
“They collect 70 dollars every week for security fee, but no security,” George said, pointing his finger at the superintendent’s office with grimaced face. “We paid L$10,000, each person, for a table and to get a spot here. We are five here and paid L$50,000 for this small area,” he added.
“The superintendent of the market takes the market like family business. She gave most tables to her relatives, and one of the warehouses to her daughter,” Mark Gbotee, one of the pedicure and manicure operators, said. “The leadership can collect but we can’t see the security.”
The collection is a weekly mandate, causing marketers to wonder about the use of the funds. However, they are afraid to confront the authorities for fear of removal from the market and “spiritual attack”, according to them. Since 2019, the market tables are yet to be painted; spider webs are taking over the light bulbs and the roofs.
The weekly collection of garbage fee by the market leadership is allegedly a corrupt practice, as the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) collects the garbage without taking a cent from them.
“We can dislodge the garbage whenever it is filled,” Jeremiah K. Diggens, PCC Public Relations, said.
When the Hot Pepper’s reporter visited her office on the Du-Port Road, Superintendent Gbloso denied his request for comment.
To give the market a facelift, President Weah recently ordered the removal of makeshift structures by the PCC. According to the marketers, the superintendent allegedly received huge sums of money from vendors, who erected structures there.
Due to the lack of trust and confidence, several marketers are calling on the President and the Liberia market Association (LMA) to remove the current leadership and institute a new one, which will properly manage the market’s affairs.
“We are appealing to the new LMA President to change these people because no good development here. See how the whole market looking dirty. You yourself seeing it,” George said, holding his nose due to the unpleasant scent of the garbage.