By Mustapha Jarju
The Brikama market has been hit by unprecedented high food price which leaves consumers and vendors linked the problem on inflation. They also called on President Barrow-led administration to urgently look for means to address inflation which they said is the cause of the high food prices across the country.
Fatou Saidy told The Voice Newspaper that currently, there is an increment on merchandise because if you buy any products today at a cheaper price, the next day they will tell prices have increased ‘this is challenge to our business and it is really frustrating.”
However, “this is not our fault, as we do tell our customers because the increments come from the wholesalers, and it is what we buy that we will sell. So let’s government helps to reduce taxes on commodities so that it will trickle down to the consumer,” she said.
According to her, currently Bag of sugar is costing D1,850 and 20 litres of Cooking Oil is D1,700.
Omar Darboe, a fish vendor said: “there is no price control in our markets people sell anyhow they feel.”
“If you have money, you buy if you don’t have it, you leave it. As a family man, it is sometimes difficult to get something for the family. At times you go home with less profit that won’t do much for the family need because of the hike,” he explained.
Meanwhile, he said that the current renovation of roads in the Brikama Market can be worst during rainy season, adding that there is no drainage on this road that can access easy passage of water in the market.
“Currently the water that came from the fish Market is stagnant at the Bus Stop, and if they don’t make drainage on the new road currently on construction will be the worst, we the vendors are tired as you can see some of the vendors have leave their selling point this is the problem we are currently facing,” he added.