GBARNGA — Josiah Marvin Cole, Representative of Electoral District #3 in Bong County, has strongly criticized Senator Prince Kermue Moye, Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris, and Gbarnga City Mayor Gallah Varpilah, labeling them as the most disorganized leadership in the history of the county.
According to Rep. Cole, the disarray in leadership under Senator Moye, Superintendent Norris, and Mayor Varpilah has left marketers confused and displaced regarding their relocation within the county.
The criticism comes after local authorities decided to relocate vendors from the old Gbarnga Central Market to the Sunday Market in the Bassa Community, a decision finalized during a meeting chaired by Senator Moye on November 30, 2024. The authorities set December 6, 2024, as the deadline for vendors to vacate the old market.
Senator Moye explained that his earlier decision to allow marketers to return to the old market after its demolition in July 2024 was a temporary measure to maintain peace, not to undermine local authorities.
Gbarnga City Mayor Gallah Varpilah and Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) Bong Chapter President Madam Tumu Allen assured the public that the Sunday Market is equipped to accommodate all vendors, with new structures built for those displaced from the old market.
However, during a press conference on December 8, 2024, Rep. Cole accused the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, through Senator Moye, Superintendent Norris, and Mayor Varpilah, of mistreating marketers by demolishing their tables and forcing them to sell their goods under harsh conditions.
Rep. Cole described the displaced vendors as “the first refugees under the Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Jeremiah Kpan Koung government” and claimed that the affected marketers are still struggling to rebuild their stalls in the new markets.
Despite the backlash, county leadership remains firm in its decision to relocate all vendors to Sirleaf’s Market and the Sunday Market. Reports indicate that 555 vendors have already been registered and issued security tickets for spaces at the Sunday Market, which has a capacity to accommodate over 1,000 vendors.
The controversy began on July 28, 2024, when the Gbarnga City Corporation, under Mayor Varpilah’s leadership, demolished the old market following the completion of Sirleaf’s Market. The demolition led to protests over space concerns, prompting Senator Moye to temporarily allow vendors to continue selling at the old market. This, in turn, resulted in underutilization of Sirleaf’s Market.
In June, local authorities, including the Superintendent and the Gbarnga City Corporation, announced that the newly constructed Gbarnga Central Market would become operational by the end of August 2024. However, despite being officially dedicated on June 19, 2024, technical issues delayed its opening. Vice President Jeremiah Koung, tasked with overseeing markets nationwide, requested an extension to address these challenges.
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