Traders at the Agomanya market in the Eastern Region have appealed to the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly to forge a strong collaboration with the Municipal Police Command for improved security in the market.
That, according to them would guarantee the protection and safety of their lives and wares during and after business hours.
The traders made the appeal in an interview with GhanaWeb following reported cases of criminal activities in the market, particularly stealing during and after working hours.
The Agomanya market is one of the biggest market centers in the Eastern Region which attracts traders from many parts of the Eastern, Greater Accra and Volta Regions and the traders believe that there was a dire need for effective security to facilitate smooth business for speedy economic growth of the Municipality and the entire region.
According to them, the welfare of traders was not guaranteed with broad daylight and night criminals on the loose.
Aside from a few traders who are privileged to own lockable stalls in the market and hence can secure their goods, many are either forced to cart their goods home after market activities, leave them in the open or keep them in a goods store in the facility.
Works on some 188 lockable stores are ongoing in the market as part of efforts to address the problem and increase security and convenience for the traders and their wares.
Narh Bertha Maku has been selling potatoes at the market for the past twenty years. Leaving her foodstuffs in the open without any form of security serves as the perfect opportunity for predators who prey on her wares during the night.
“After offloading our foodstuffs, it gets late and there’s no watchman here. You return in the morning to realize that the sack is cut (and the potatoes stolen), even yesterday, they did the same thing,” she narrated describing the occurrence as a frequent development.
She also recalled how thieves once managed to steal some Ghc 700 being sales for the day from her apron while she walked through the market. She narrated, “I had the apron around my waist and before I realized, they used a blade to cut it open and took out the money.”
She decried the lack of security in the market which she said resulted in the rampant acts of stealing in the facility.
She appealed, “We need a wall to be constructed around the market and increased police patrols to reduce the stealing.”
Elizabeth Osei has been dealing in footwear and clothing for almost three decades at the market. She recounted how the thieves on six occasions stole bales of clothing from her stall which were left at dawn by the drivers for her.
“The drivers leave the goods in my shop at dawn. I come as early as 6 am but by the time I come, they have already stolen the goods. The last incident was the sixth,” she complained bitterly.
The situation, she said adversely affected the sales of the traders as business becomes low, adding that she’s forced to stay out of business for a while until she gets capital to restart her business.
Asked if they knew the perpetrators behind these acts, she said there were spies in the market whom she accused of pointing sellers out to criminals outside the area to perpetrate the crime.
She appealed for increased security at the market to safeguard their valuables.
Another trader, Kpabitey Veronica who also deals in materials said, “Here in the market if you leave your items in the stores, you will not see them during market days when you go to retrieve them. Thieves come for them and you won’t find them and you’re forced to raise extra capital to buy your stuff.”
She recounted her own experience where her goods were stolen from the stores when she went to claim them during the next market day.
Chairman of the Agomanya Market Committee and a Unit Committee Member for Agomanya-South Electoral Area, Mr. Samuel Atter attributed the problem to the increasing number of traders, patrons and the resultant rise in trading activities in the market.
He explained: “Criminal activities in the market have been a burden for the Assembly member for the area and the unit committee chairman…the market is really choked with people and whenever schools are not in session, a lot of children troop into the market to do wheelbarrow pushing and kaya business so this crime begins to increase in the market.”
Mr. Atter furthered: “Small-time you hear, they’ve stolen my phone, they cut my apron, they stole my money.” According to him, some traders also lose their goods to truck pushers whom they employ to carry their stuff.
He furthered that some of the criminals lay in wait at vantage points such as the okada stations and other walkways to rob their unsuspecting victims of their monies and other valuables while returning home.
The market committee chairman said, together with the police, some security was mounted at vantage points in 2020 to curb the menace which was reduced minimally, adding however that the menace began increasing again.
While he said further structural developments in the market would eventually enable the place to be locked to improve security at the place, he advised the market women to remain security conscious when in the market to stay safe.
Odumase District Police Commander, Supt Doris Akua Grant when contacted by GhanaWeb, urged the traders to report such incidents to her office for the appropriate security measures to be put in place.
Crime activities in the market has increased