Vendors Vacate To New Model Market Omoliha East Market vendors at have finally been moved to Torit Model Market after months of negotiations with the Torit town mayor on the relocation. 05 December 2013
*By Peter Lokale Nakimangole* *TORIT, 05 December 2013 [Gurtong] –*The traders at Hai Batari of Omoliha East Market moved to three different locations including Torit Model Market, Shouk Kedim (Old Market) along Juba highway while others chose to move to Malakia Market. In November, Torit’s Omoliha Market businesses remained closed following the order from the Mayor to the traders to vacate to the newly established Model Market. Though the sufferers first remained firm against the Order issued, but the Mayor Stephen Osfaldo Lobali insisted that all the vegetable vendors must move to the new market. Several shops including beauty salons groceries, petty restaurants at Hai Batari had been ordered to move to the newly set up Torit Model Market but resistance was witnessed as the business operators silently protested over the decision by the government saying they cannot just move as they are not prepared to stock their goods. Some say they have already rented out the present premises to stock their goods until January 2014 while others paid their rental fees up to December and will now lose their business and money. The vendors stormed Torit Municipal Council Mayor’s Office demanding that the mayor should buy all their commodities as part of compensation due to absence of customers at the new Model market where they have been relocated to. The relocation of the Vegetable Vendors, Butcheries and Groceries from Omoliha Market to Torit Model Market was to take effect on 1st November 2013 and should have been completed within seven days, according to the standing order. The market was constructed by the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), through the UN Development Programme (UNDP), with support from South Sudan Recovery Fund (SSRF) through donation from a Multi-Donor Trust Fund, and was officially opened in November 2011. The governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway provided contributions to the SSRF. The new market serves as a “model” for constructing marketplaces, with set infrastructure standards. The market is equipped with separate blocks for vegetables, fish and meat, and has accessible storage facilities for surplus goods. It is enclosed in concrete perimeter fence; the market has its own elevated water tank, a borehole and a pump, as well as separate blocks for wash areas and toilets. The model market and the road equipment were part of a US$ 2.6 million livelihoods project intended to address the lack of market infrastructure, increase crop productivity and facilitate commercial development in Eastern Equatoria. The state is one of the three ‘Greenbelt States’ in South Sudan which the government is developing as the country’s food basket, by boosting its commercial agricultural production. Currently, South Sudan is dependent on basic commodity imports from neighbouring countries. The facility would strengthen local trade and commerce, enhance the market infrastructure and build the capacity of small producers and traders, with a particular focus on women. Further, food storage facilities were built to ensure surplus goods are safely kept for selling on the next market day. Six storage facilities were constructed in Magwi, Lafon and Budi counties with the Management and upkeep of these facilities being turned over to the women groups. Posted in: Home<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx>, Business<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/2/Business.aspx>, Governance<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/6/Governance.aspx> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14opaHGCQmtR0eUR1BrFecJJuHw5mSdgz84GWB%3DNHv5GJ2g%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
