The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
September 19, 2021

MTVNEWS (Sept. 9) - A new market building constructed along the Liberian-Ivorian (Pedebo) Border, about 22 KM east of Maryland's provincial capital, Harper to promote cross border trade has been abandoned.

The market was Constructed under the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded "Mano River Union Road Transport Programme" along with a hand pump, office space and toilet facilities at cost of US$158,669.17.

This may suggest that the necessary assessment was not done prior to the construction of the market.

The project was implemented by the Ministry of Public Works on behalf of the Government of Liberia to promote cross border trade between Liberia and the neighboring Ivory Coast.

When Maryland County superintendent for the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) Abraham C. Wilson was quizzed about the dormancy of the market, he named the lack of willingness from his Ivorian counterpart to rotate market days on both sides of the border and the inability of those living in the surrounding communities to grow the necessary products to attract buyers.

"Our people who live around the border for [whom] the market was built do not actually have produce to take to the market for people leaving from Pleebo, Harper and other areas to buy."
"Imagine, if you were selling a T-shirt 200 and take it to the border for the same price, you will expect yourself to buy cassava, plantains, peppers and other stuff when you sell that will cover your transportation expenses up, but they are not there."

Maryland County superintendent George Prowd, according to him, has on three different occasions led delegations to the Ivory Coast to discuss with authority of the Tabou Region on how they could rotate market days weekly on both sides of the border and the improvement of other cross order activities, but their efforts yielded no fruit.

"They are not willing because of the money they generate from their side every week, and our people too only produce cane juice."

The project was since completed by the SAGK INTERNATIONAL INC. and dedicated on May 30, and officially opened to traders of both countries on July 24, 2019.

Though the LMA Superintendent has appreciated the Government of Liberia for such initiative, he believes that trading together with his Ivoirian counterparts at the market will promote the level of friendliness existed among citizens of both countries over the years.

"We are still working along with the office of the county superintendent and other stakeholders to come up with strategies on how the market should be operated," he told Maryland TV.