Vendors in the country commercial city, Serrekunda, has vowed to protest against Covid-19 restrictions on markets and shopping areas emergency powers (amendment) regulations 2020, The Voice can report.
“Our first step is to close all our shops and ask those selling not to come for a whole day. If no response from the government, we will organise a protest to demand government to remove the restrictions and the curfew,” said a shop owner who claimed to be affected by the regulations governing markets throughout the country.
President Adama Barrow, in consultation with coronavirus (COVID-19) experts at the Ministry of Health, in August amended the regulations governing markets throughout the country.
According the amended regulations, “A person trading in food products in any market shall open for business only between the hours of 6:00 am and 2:00 pm each day.
A person trading in non-food products in any market shall open for business only between the hours of 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm,” the president said declaring the regulations governing markets throughout the country.
“We are not selling anything, as we open that is how we close, because we are into sales of used cloth business and our selling commences from 5pm when people close from work. As breadwinner, I am finding it difficult to take care of my family especially my house rent,” said Ebriama Jabbie a ‘fukajai’ vendor.
“We cannot go on this for another 21 days; it will not be easy for us because we know what we are going through. My message to the president is that if this restriction is not revised “coronavirus will not kill Gambian but hunger will kill Gambians,” Babou Gaye lamented.
He added that “We will protest if this restriction is not revise in the next 48 hours, because we cannot sit and see ourselves suffering as breadwinner and taxpayers.”