By: Nyima Sillah
Dozens of food vendors in Serrekunda market have lamented over limited time for businesses amid the coronavirus as they said it doesn’t favour time because the market is always congested.
Alpha Sowe, a vendor said: “the time given to them is very limited; it leads to the congestion of the market which doesn’t go in line with the WHO preventive measures.”
“It is risky for people to side line social distancing just because of their interest, because everyone rushed to the market to buy stuff before the closure of the market, especially women that rush in the morning to do food shopping before market closure,” he said.
According to him, many people who come to the market do not wear face mask and they interact with them, and this could lead to easy spreading of the virus.
Sohna Sarr, a trader, said: “my suggestion is that government should allow normal operational hours and put measures on the observation, while social distancing and everyone coming into the market should wash hands with soap under running water and as well use hand sanitiser adequately.”
Ebou Gaye, observed that “Both customers and vendors are at risk because the case is increasing in The Gambia and people are still not taking the preventive measures seriously.”
He urged government to allow them to operate from 7am to 6pm, “It is for our own safety because government want to save us, but now people are trying to abuse it and act like there’s nothing going on. They should be aware that this virus is deadly and very dangerous we have to exercise all the preventive measures to keep you safe and make the work of the government easy.”