By Yankuba Jallow
Municipal police and some police officers from the Gambia Police Force on Wednesday instructed all shops in the Serrekunda Market to close.
The incident happened at 6 pm onwards and the shop owners all closed their shops and stalls. Several vendors told this reporter they were not given any notice by the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) before the order for the closure of the shops was executed by the Police.
The Gambia recently confirmed three (3) cases of Coronavirus which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. There are over a hundred and thirty people currently undergoing quarantine. The Gambia, like many other countries in Africa and the World, is battling to contain the pandemic but as matters stand the struggle is continuing. One person has been confirmed dead as a result of the Coronavirus and the Government has imposed a ban on all public gatherings.
All shops in the Serrekunda Market and the surrounding areas including the Brikama car park in Serrekunda and the Sandika were all closed by the authorities.
One Lamin Njie said no matter how important this activity is to the Council, the vendors should have been informed.
“You cannot come and ask us to close just like that. We should have been told so that we will know what to do,” he said.
Isatou Jallow said the Coronavirus issue is perturbing, but they cannot do without business because it is the source of their livelihood.
“We cannot stay at home the whole day. We have to sell or else starve. The profit that we make from the sales is limited,” she said.
Many other people who talked to Foroyaa said they are surprised by the action of the Council. They said the Council should have been in a position to tell them why they were asked to close.
It is a developing story and we will give you more detail in our subsequent publications.
