By: Nyima Silla
Traders having shops and stalls in the Serrekunda Market have raised general concern over limited sales in the market caused by the roadside market vendors scattered everywhere in the market to block entrances that customers cannot enter main market.
Speaking to The Voice during a market survey conducted by this medium, Hamad Ali, a shop owner said “these roadside vendors always block our businesses. Imagine sitting the whole day without selling anything, it is very painful. We are just from Covid-19 break so we should give chance to one another”, He said.
According to Ali, Sometimes he paid boys to stand outside and make some entertainments to attract customers but even though they face problems because sales start at the gate.
“I am begging KMC to come on board and give a specific place to each vendor. We cannot block their way but they also don’t have the right to block our way this is business. So we should all play a fair game,” he appealed.
Ebrima Secka expressed similar sentiment saying they are all business people so the fair thing to do is to sit in the shops to wait for customers rather than spreading materials in front of the shops and block others customers.
“I don’t sell like before because people that should come inside to buy are stopping at the gate and road at the market. So I find it so hard to have customers”, He said.
“I have been into this business for ages but now the market is not under control someone can come from nowhere spread materials and start selling. Some of these people even have shops in different locations but they just come to Serekunda market because it is the busiest market in The Gambia”, He added.
Meanwhile Malang Sarr said it is a hard time for everybody so none shop owners should not capitalize on the situation and do whatever they like.
“We sell quality goods but they spoil customer’s minds by telling them not to buy from us because it is expensive. People should understand that shop materials are different from these roadside vendors because they can sell cheap as they have low quality materials. We sell expensive quality goods and materials and we pay taxed to import these materials so the prices can never be the same”, He said.