By Septimus Senessie in Kono
Traders in the eastern Kono district say they will not in any way “honour and recognise” the temporary ban slammed by some authorities of the district on their weekly trade fair at the Konomayi Lorry Park in Koidu.
At the jam-packed weekly trade expo of the traders, Kumba Dauda Sandi, who was curious to know why Politico was taking snapshots of the trade fair, said as far as they were concerned the Ministry of Health had said “there is no Ebola in the district”. She added that that should not affect their business activities.
“The only way they can succeed to ban trade fair is by giving Le10 million to each trader so we can take care of our families,” she said, adding that they should not "just come and impose a ban on our means of survival all in the name of Ebola".
Kumba vowed that "only death can take us from the trade fair”.
Another trader, Mariama Kamara, who travelled to Freetown to sell her goods, also said banning trade fair would never take effect because it would increase the rate of prostitution, stealing and dropout of their children from school.
Fanta Jalloh, who was dressed in her Muslim hijab, said the trade fair was helpful to them especially during Ramadan when they would buy cheap fruits for ifthar or to break their fast.
Peter Fillie Saquee, Chairman of a local tribal organisation, “KONOMKOE”, said they brought about the idea of a trade fair and claimed that even before the Ebola outbreak the same set of local authorities calling for its ban had challenged them to put a stop to it.
He said the authorities had had complaints from some used-clothing and plastic sellers calling for the closure of the exhibition nine months ago because they felt some people had put them out of business by auctioning their goods and selling them at far cheaper prices.
Saquee insisted that the ban was not being imposed for the good of all in the district.
“The authorities should have banned all trade fairs within the district, including at the district’s biggest market in Gbense chiefdom which also attracts traders from across the district throughout the week,” he said.
District Coordinator of ONS, Sorie Ibrahim Koroma expressed dismay at the failure of traders to honour the ban on trader fairs. Additionally, he went on, there was no reported case of Ebola in the district and that it was good for the district to take “proactive measures against the spread of the disease in the district instead of reactive measures as in the case of Kailahun.”
He said they had nothing against the trade fair but were eager to prevent Ebola from reaching Kono.
Koroma said they had already established Ebola checkpoints with medical personnel at Woama village - towards Kailahun district - Njegbwema town in the Fiama chiefdom and Kombayendeh in Lei chiefdom, to diagnose people before they enter the Koidu.
(C) Politico 15/07/14
