The Chairlady of Peters’ Brook Market in Freetown, Roberta Jones, has said on Saturday July 4, 2020, that gang activities in and around the market has scared off some of their clients thus resulting a fall in their income. She told Premier News that some regular customers in the market are afraid of being assaulted by ‘bad boys’, adding that sometimes boys known to be members of gangs usually harass their customer as they make their way to or from the market.
Jones said that they attack their customers and take away their moneys and goods, and that situation has been going on for the past 10 years, adding that traders are not spared by the gang of thieves.
“The bad boys that live in this market used to attack even us here. They used to attack our customers that usually come to help us, and upon their refusal to give them what they wanted they will harm them. So to avoid all those problems they [customers] have decided not to come to this market anymore,” she said.
She said that some time they go a whole day without making a single sale because their customers are not visiting anymore. “We are appealing to the government to help us have a peaceful environment here.”
She said that they have no other means of earning a living except petty trade, adding that losing their customers have made their situation in life harder.
She also condemned lack of a proper market structure which she claimed has occasioned loss for them due to exposure pf their wares to rain which cause their goods to spoil.
“Some of us trade in perishables, but because we don’t have a market structure and warehouse, our goods used to get soaked when it rains which will make them rot.”
She revealed that, the Mayor of Freetown had promised to build them a market but nothing had come out of that promise.
By Ibrahim S.Bangura
16/07/2020. ISSUE NO.: 7867