The Alice Yeebah administration of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) has never been able to sit since elections and inauguration five years ago.
By now, the Association supposed to be led by new leaders or Madam Yeebah if she had won a second term, but that has not been the case.
Right after the inauguration of Coalition for the Democratic Change Government, Vice President Jewell Howard Taylor who provide oversight over the Liberia Marketing Association, suspended the madam Yeebah’s leadership over allegation of corruption.
Madam Yeebah went to Criminal Court “A” but lost the case on grounds that she had no right to sue the Vice President on behalf of the LMA as the VP Taylor’s action only affected her, and not the entity.
Judge Peter Gbenewaile also ruled that the LMA boss should take her case against VP Taylor at the Civil Law Court “B” if she wishes to pursue it further.
Madam Yeebah and her lawyers took their case to the Civil Law Court “B” in 2018 where the embattle LMA President won.
Civil Law Court B Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar, in his 2018 ruling overturned the Vice President Taylor’s decision to suspend Alice Yeebah, LMA President; Abraham Barchue, National Vice President for LMA and Larwuo L. Hiama, National Assistant Secretary General of LMA.
“This court says that there is no provision in the 2010 LMA Act or the By-laws and Constitution of the LMA that gives VP Taylor the authority to suspend any elected officers of the Association,” Judge Dumber stated in his ruling.
The court, at the same time, ordered all parties concerned with the LMA saga to revert to status quo.
But Vice President Taylor legal team led by Attorney Paul Harris took an exception to Judge Scheaplor R. Dunbar’s ruling and announced an appeal to the Supreme Court which was later granted but they eventually lost the appeal.
The Vice President decision to suspend the LMA boss Liberia Public Radio learned, is as a result her decision to support former Vice President Joseph Boakai Unity Party over the CDC in the 2017 elections.
But despite Madam Yeebah Victory at the Supreme Court, her leadership has been more than crisis regime as those opposing her have not rested in making her leadership unsettled.
Recently those opposing Madam Yeebah, reportedly been led by former President Lusu Sloan, Elizabeth Sambula, Francis Sayon worked their around some government officials including Justice Minster Frank Musa Dean and Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf and instituted and interim leadership.
But Alice Yeebah team once again sought redress from the Supreme Court which was granted.
The Court on May 25, 2021 ruled that the LMA Board should take charge of the entity instead of the interim leadership instituted by Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf as mandated by the LMA constitution and that the management team comprising of various market superintendents and heads remains untouched, while madam Yeebah stays off the activities of the market until elections are held.
Amidst all these wrangling, poor marketers are now feeling the pain as they are left with no option but sell in filter markets.
Red Light Market is unarguably the biggest market in Liberia its current state is really disturbing especially the Gogbachop community market.
The market is host to mostly fruits and vegetable sellers who brings their goods from rural Liberia specially Nimba, Bong and Lofa Counties regarded as the highest food producing counties in Liberia.
The huge dirt which is now reaching its peak since the creation of the market more than 20 years ago is not just creating problems for marketers but also health crisis for community dwellers as the market is also located in a residential area.
The Garbage at the Gogbachop market has not been clean since November 2020 when Representative Thomas Fallah whose district the market did so.
Residents ben seeing holding their nose or spiting as they pass by the dirt.
PCC can’t be seen
The Paynesville City Cooperation (PCC) has been partner to the LMA for many years when it comes to garbage collection but of recent the City government have not been seeing around.
Liberia Public radio has learnt that the Paynesville City Government appear to be challenge with lack of logistic to work. “we met the City government they told us that currently, they don’t have yellow machine and truck to clean the stuck-pad of garbage” Robert Geneyan Chairman of the Gogbachop community said.
Another reason LPR have gathered is that the Wheon Town Garbage site where the dirt is usually taken no longer have space to accommodate dirt.
This according to Geneyan is creating serious embarrassment for community dwellers noting that effort is been applied to clean the garbage.
“I feel sad for the community, for normal human to leaving in dirt like this sadden” Geneyan noted.
The last time Gogbachop market experience such a huge dirt, it led to serious protest from marketers who could been taking the dirt to offices of the LMA in the market as sign of their frustration over the entity refusal to clean the dirt.
The LMA is an autonomous agency that generate thousands of Liberian dollars but like the Federation of Road Transport Union who up to now don’t have parking station on its own, the LMA cannot boast of a single market it has built from the thousands of dollars its collect daily.
It depends on politicians and government to build and renovate their structures, something that has left many wondering where does the thousands of the Liberian dollars its generate goes.
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