By Omar Bah
The chairman of the Kanifing Municipal Council Markets Board, Momar Taal, has promised to investigate alleged nepotism and unnecessary movement of vendors at the Bakoteh market by officials there.
A number of fish and other vendors at the Bakoteh Tipper Garage market complained of being unnecessarily moved around which has seriously affected their sales.
Mammy Darboe, a petty trader at the market, said the fish vendors are asked to leave the market without any justification. “This has direct implication on not just the fish vendors but some other vendors who are selling different commodities because those who used to come to buy fish and others are no longer coming here,” she said.
Babucarr Jobe, also a vendor at the market, said the removal of the fish vendors has significantly affected them.
“We want the council to immediately solve this nepotism and segregation in the market,” he said.
Mariama Mendy, also a vendor, said since the fish vendors left the area, they struggle to make D100 a day.
“A lot of people have decided to close their stores because they are not making profit,” she said.
Ebrima Secka, a vendor, said the Tippa Garage Market needs total revamping. He said the fish vendors should be returned to their normal place.
“We want Mayor Bensouda to come to our aid and address the issue as quickly as possible because we cannot continue like this,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations, Chairman Taal said the allegations of nepotism and removing people from one place to another is new to the board.
“The reason we are doing the restructuring is to eradicate all these bad practices. But I would launch an immediate investigation into the matter to make sure the issue is addressed without delay. We want to make it clear to all vendors that we have an open-door policy. We are not politicians; we are here to protect their interest at all times,” he said.
In terms of the market, he added, “We are going through a restructuring process. We want to restructure everything ranging from allocations of stores and collections of duties but in the process of this restructuring, the interim management must not make any changes”.
He said the board has started the process of appointing a new manager for the market.
“I think under the interim management a lot has improved especially when it comes to sanitation. These are slow processes but we will soon start feeling them,” he stated.
He said the market vendors should also understand the overall project which is to renovate the Bakoteh to make it a model environment for the community.
