Scores of traders at the Sekondi Market in the Western Region have appealed to authorities in the metropolis to, as a matter of urgency, build a new market for them.
Speaking to Today in an interview at the weekend, the traders who were mainly women, complained bitterly about the dilapidated market building which was on the brink of collapse.
The visibly worried traders indicated that the market building has developed deep cracks, a situation they said, poses danger to lives and properties.
However, they lamented that the situation becomes worse anytime it rains.
“We [the traders] are not safe considering the state of this market building where we do our business. Our lives are indeed in danger and that is why we want the authorities to do something about this precarious situation,” the traders appealed.
Apart from the bad state of the market building, the traders pointed out that most of the sheds and gutters at the market have also become places of convenience for people, particularly children, “because they don’t want to pay for public toilets.”
That, they said, has compounded the problem, as their lives were exposed to health hazards.
According to them, in spite of the poor sanitary conditions facing them, they were still obliged to pay various levies to the assembly.
They claimed that besides the payment of daily tolls, they also pay a monthly fee of GH₵6.00.
Failure to pay, according to them, will attract sanctions which include locking up of one’s store by the authorities.
“This action taken by the authorities is not fair since they have failed to play their part even though they know the situation we are going through,” a trader, who gave her name as Sofo Maame Hannah, told Today.
She said their businesses were seriously being affected due to the state of the market.
“Some of us now have no choice than to sit outside ad sell our wares because of the stench emanating from inside the market,” she said.
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