Vendors at Omega General Market, one of Monrovia's busiest trading hubs, say mounting garbage and prolonged inaction by market authorities have turned a key section of the market into a public health hazard, forcing some sellers to abandon their stalls and threatening livelihoods.
The complaints center on the Plantain Field area of Omega Market, located near the Omega Magisterial Court, a vital zone for the sale of plantain, pineapple, fruits and vegetables serving nearby communities and daily commuters. Traders say heaps of uncollected waste have occupied nearly half of the roadway for months, disrupting movement and choking commercial activity.
According to vendors, the garbage has remained unattended for nearly six months, steadily increasing in volume and odor. Some sellers said the conditions have forced them to close their businesses altogether, while others have relocated to less visible and less profitable spaces within the market.
"This place has become like an open dumping site," one trader said. "Customers don't want to come here anymore."
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Vendors blame the situation on what they describe as neglect by the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA), which oversees market operations. They say the waste is largely generated during the offloading of goods by out-of-town traders but is never removed, despite the routine collection of market fees.
"Besides the out-of-town marketers, they also charge us L$40 every day," one vendor said. "But nothing is done about the dirt."
Sienneh Nyankoleth, a longtime seller in the Plantain Field area, said she initially believed the daily fees were intended to support sanitation and order within the market.
"I thought the money was for cleaning," Nyankoleth said. "Instead, the dirt keeps growing here every day."
She accused market authorities of ignoring repeated complaints and benefiting from the fees while allowing conditions to deteriorate.
Traders say the situation worsens during rainfall, when stagnant waste emits foul odors and floodwater spreads filth through selling areas. Some vendors also reported that disadvantaged youths have begun using the garbage-filled space as an open toilet, further increasing health risks.
Several women vendors told reporters they feel intimidated when attempting to raise concerns, alleging verbal abuse and harassment from individuals linked to market oversight.
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"We complain, but nothing happens," Nyankoleth said. "Omega Market is our only source of income, so we are forced to stay."
With most sellers in the area being women, traders warned that the health risks -- including exposure to disease -- are rising daily. Yassah Kpadeh, who sells at the market six days a week, appealed to the national government to intervene.
"People cannot even eat at their selling spots anymore," Kpadeh said. "The smell alone is enough to make you sick."
Efforts by The Liberian Investigator to obtain comments from Omega Market authorities were unsuccessful. Individuals identified as local heads declined to speak, while others blamed nearby community residents for violating waste management rules -- an explanation traders say fails to address the crisis inside the market.
