By: Mariama Njie
Celebrating the International Women’s Day in the country, the women vendors have called on the government to help address some developing problems they are facing in the markets especially in this time of coronavirus pandemic.
These developing problems are gradually running down their businesses, as they complained.
Speaking to some of the women in different market spots, they complaint of problems like price hike, high taxation, lack of security, as some dubious individuals do attack them in the early hours of the mornings.
Jainaba Jatta, a vendor at Tipper garage market said “as today (yesterday) marks International Women’s Day, we have nothing to celebrate about the day because we are suffering, and the price of goods escalated, we as market vendors it is through the little we earn that we use to buy something for the upkeep of the family.”
“Government should look back to us women in the Gambia are suffering especially the vulnerable ones. When it is time for rallies, we women will rally behind politicians and they will make promise of wiping away our tears and end our sufferings. But, in the reality, it is also the opposite, also the foreign shop owners are selling goods in a high price and when you ask them why? They will say, things are expensive at the port, and the president should look into this end people’s suffering,” she added.
Also, she urged government to help them with security saying “we do wake up 4:00 am to meet our customers in the market and during these hours we sometimes encounter criminals, they will attack, rob us and take everything we have. So, if government can provide security in some of the remote areas, garages and other places it will be helpful.”
She said what is going on in the Gambia is very scary, starting from the increase of goods.
Lala Manjang, also a vendor at Tipper garage market always travel from Tujereng to Bakoteh market every day but she said “I don’t know much about International Women’s Day, but as you said women are striving hard for the sake of our children and making sure they have proper meal and good education.”
According to her, many of them in the market want to do a business but they don’t have the resources “because we take goods from gardeners we sell and then pay back. (Ministry of) agriculture should provide equipment for women working in the garden, so that things will be better.”
Also, in the Serrekunda market, Ceesending Manneh said: “I vote in every election, but the deputies, counsellors and government have forgotten us after elections, politicians will convince us to vote for them, but now we are in need they should come to our aid, too.”
“They should open doors of opportunity for vendors, as women are the one who take care of the family, they wake up early hours to make ends meet and we did not vote to suffer,” she added.
Another vendor, Ida Manneh, lamented about the high price of goods, saying “women vendors are suffering; sometimes the little you have in the market criminals will take it away from your counter in the market without your notice. We need security on that too, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic we never receive any aid from the government, the little we have that’s what we rely on.”
Fatou Manjang, said the price of rice is D1,300 and oil too has increased these are parts of challenges market women are facing every single day.
“Ramadan is fast approaching, if things continue like this it will not be favorable,” she added.
