Following the recent accident at OIC Market, the mayor of Buea has urged the women vendors to relocate to the market and cease selling by the roadside.
Despite the incident and the mayor’s warning, these women continue their roadside businesses to make ends meet, choosing to bear the risks rather than moving into the market. Some of these market women shared their reasons for their persistence.
“When that accident happened, I was very frightened. I still haven’t recovered from it. I am now selling close to someone’s shop, and he paid for the land. We cannot move into the market because there is no space to sell, so we just have to stick around the corners or close to any shop that is willing to let us use their land,” said Miss Magret, who sells kitchen ingredients, to MMI.
Another market woman, who sells by the roadside, explained the impracticality of moving into the market behind OIC, describing it as swampy, especially in the current season. She told MMI, “The other market behind OIC school is swampy. If we must move inside, the council has to fill the muddy areas with stones or gravel so that it is conducive for us to sell.”
Additionally, she highlighted the challenges of relocating to the central market, where it is difficult to attract customers. “Taxis do not carry us to the Bwitingi market. Just a few taxis go there, and business down there is difficult. So it is preferable we stay up here and sell by the roadside,” she recounted.
It is clear that the recent accident is not the only factor preventing these women from moving into the market. They remain determined, preferring to face potential risks to ensure they have money in their bank accounts.
