Open air market sellers in Mingkaman town say the state government has forced them to relocate to a new market where there are no stores for their goods.
On Thursday, the town council authorities ordered traders to move to the new market location situated far from the old Mingkaman main market. They said the old one had poor sanitation.
Although some traders have welcomed the relocation, others decry the lack of storage facilities. They worry for the safety of their goods during night time.
“Our new place looks good because it is dry, and it can’t get flooded when it rains. However, the challenge is where to store our goods when it rains and at night,” one trader said.
Others say they are contemplating moving their homes closer to the new market.
“It is really bothering us because we cannot leave our children from very far to come and stay here. It maybe risky.”
“I sell bread, but bread and the restaurants never separates, we need them to consider taking us back to the front-line shops in the market so that we sell there comfortably,” said another.
Albino Chuei Biar, the town Clerk for Mingkaman assured the traders that state government will provide storage facilities and security in the new market.
“In the new market here, we have many buildings that can be used by the open-air market sellers. We are going to work on it soon and they will have places to store their goods,” he said, adding that “this is good complain and we are going to look at it soon.”
The head of the town council also promised to fence the water ponds within the new market that has drowned 4 children since 2014.
The new Market was constructed by Nile Hope and ACTED in 2014-2016 to provide business space for population in Mingkaman.