By: Modou Touray
Shops owners who were evicted by authorities of Brikama Area Council for the construction of a new market building have demanded their shops back as the building nears completion.
Sidat Kuyateh, a tailor who lost his spot because of the eviction, said tailors who were once doing business at the spot where the new market is being constructed have strong hopes that due consideration will be given to them with regards the allocation of shops in the new building.
“I have been here since 1993 until the Area Council asked us to move. The condition is that when the construction of the modern canteens is done, those of us previously occupying the shops will move in.”
Mustapha Barrow, a fashion designer, who has a tailoring workshop next to the new canteens, is optimistic about being allocated a new shop.
“Many of us lost our customers when we moved from our previous workshop and business became dull. It took me some time to be able to get a temporal place,” Mr Barrow said, adding that the Council’s officials should consider their plights. “As you can see, the building is almost done and it is better to lament now before they will decide otherwise.”
Yahya Saidy, another shop owner in the old market building, said he will soon enter his new workshop and work comfortably.
“What convinced most of us to abandon the place is the promise of getting back to our shops. We have families and this is our source of earnings. If we don’t get permanent workshops, our customers can’t locate us easily.”
Omar Mbye is another shop owner who sells vegetables and cooking materials and eagerly awaits the completion of the new building. He is currently being accommodated in a friend’s shop.
“We are Gambians too and we pay our taxes accordingly. The promise was 8 months and that’s why it is important to trigger the discussion again. It has now been 8 months since we left our shops.”
Baba Camara for his part made similar comments and stressed that it will be disappointing if the shops are allocated to different people without due consideration to the previous occupants. “I believe they shall keep their promise,” he said.
Many former canteen/ shop owners of the space where the new market is being built have all expressed hope and also appealed to the Brikama Area Council authorities to give them new shops.
Speaking to The Fatu Network, the President of the Brikama market committee Foday Manjang, confirmed that the Council indeed had an agreement with the shop owners, however, the number of shops in the new building is few compared to over 200 shop owners in the old building.
“The council promised and we hope that they will honour that. Unfortunately, more than 200 people were doing business in the area and the number of new modern shops is only 88, which means not even one will be able to get their canteen back.
The Public Relations Officer of the Brikama Area Council, Lamin Singhateh, outlined that a special committee is tasked with the responsibility of the project and if the contractor formally hands over the project, they will discuss the matter.
“We will inform the general public with the relevant information at the appropriate time.”
It could be recalled that this particular new building started eight months ago by GAMWORKS and the eight months’ timeline is almost met. It is part of the initiative to transform the Brikama market into a modern one.
Fire outbreaks were rampant in the old market set-up, resulting in the loss of huge cash and valuables. With the construction of the modern structure, that could be minimised to a large degree.
