By Assane Dème
Kaolack, Dec 28 (APS) – In Kaolack (center), as in other towns in Senegal, the markets, real poles of attraction, have become, over the years, places of high-risk transactions for users , because of the numerous clandestine electrical connections that do not respect any safety standards.
In all the markets of the commune of Kaolack, electrical connections, most of which do not comply with any safety standards, are legion. A situation that puts users at great risk.
During this end-of-year holiday season when customers are flocking, the decor easily shows an idea of the situation. Everywhere, black wires hang over the aisles and canteens.
The ancient capital of Sine-Saloum, located 19 km from Dakar, was once the hub of the peanut and salt trade. It occupies a crossroads position, with national roads 1 and 4 crossing it.
The city has one of the most picturesque markets in Senegal. It is located in the city center, a stone’s throw from most financial establishments and other strategic services.
In Kaolack, the markets welcome a large number of informal sector players, mainly composed of traders, apron and/or street vendors, tailors, hair salon managers, money transfer services, shoe repairers, jewelry stores. .
But the central market and other places of commerce are exposed to risks linked to uncontrolled electrical connections and the dilapidation of canteens and other stores.
A week ago, a fire broke out at the ”Guedj market”, devastating several dozen canteens, although no loss of life was reported.
Proliferation of anarchic connections
At the central market located in the city center, no need to poke around to find anarchic connections, visible to the naked eye, almost everywhere.
As frightening as it may seem, this situation hardly seems to move some of the occupants interviewed by the APS.
Sitting in front of her cosmetic products canteen installed since 2017, Ndiaya Seck has a smile on her lips.
“I recognize that there is a danger awaiting us with these wires above our heads,” she agrees to say.
”I admit that this situation really scares me because people, apparently, are not aware of the danger posed by uncontrolled connections. And yet, we had several opportunities to question ourselves, since fires are recurrent in this market,” she emphasizes.
Not far from the Ndiaya Seck canteen, Mbaye Thiam runs a sewing workshop. Surrounded by his apprentices and other customers, he points out the responsibility of the administrative and territorial authorities who, according to him, must “show rigor” to fight against anarchic connections.
”Electricity is so complex that no one should play with it. Nothing should prevent a responsible person from taking into account the seriousness of this type of connection which threatens people’s lives. Because, in the event of a problem, no one is safe,’ insists Thiam.
Fatou Dieng, a customer who came in search of palm oil, is not upset by this situation. She maintains that responsibilities are shared.
In the event of a disaster, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for rescuers to make their way through in order to save what could be saved.
”We must not accept that Senegal is considered an anarchy where each individual can do what they want. Drastic measures must be taken to eradicate these clandestine and anarchic connections,” insists Fatou Dieng.
Help modernize the central market
The main delegate of the Kaolack central market, Lamine Ndao, calls on the administrative and municipal authorities to support traders in the modernization of their market.
The authorities must, ”very quickly”, take measures to take over the installations and implement a real program to modernize Senegal’s markets.
What is necessary, according to her, is to put an end to fires which could cause loss of human life.
”In my opinion, these fires in the markets of Senegal are caused by short circuits and this responsibility is shared. Ten canteens can share a single meter, while in the request made (…), the equipment which consumes electricity is not included,” he said.
In addition, informs the main delegate of the central market of Kaolack, ”the wires used in the clandestine installations are not of good quality”. If they heat up, he says, they “give way and cause a short circuit with all its attendant dangers.”
He pleads for a “strict ban” on any sharing of electric meters. He suggests that SENELEC carry out a ”control” to ”dissuade bad practices”.
He specifies that the central market of Kaolack is home to “more than five thousand canteens”.
He calls on stakeholders, particularly municipal authorities, for “participatory and inclusive consultations”
A billion losses during the fire at the “Guedj market”
The coordinator of the Market Modernization and Management Program (PROMOGEM), Rougui Aladji Sow, estimates the loss of goods caused by the fire at the “Guedj market” at “more than a billion CFA francs”. from Kaolack.
The ”factors which trigger the fires must push more than one to question our responsibilities and our behavior in relation to the markets,” she declared during a visit to Kaolack.
Ms. Sow came to inquire about the situation, in the presence of the prefect of the Kaolack department, Latyr Ndiaye, and the municipal authorities.
According to her, “anarchic occupations at the market level, promiscuity, saturation, non-standard connections are conducive to starting fires and their spread”.
The PRMOGEM coordinator underlined the urgency of finding consensus around market management through exchanges and other consultations, because, she said, “these commercial infrastructures constitute the beating heart of communities where action citizen and the rules laid down must be scrupulously observed.
Affirming that PROMOGEM is the ”catalyst for the economic, environmental and social development of such infrastructures”, Rougui Aladji Sow is committed to facilitating the rehousing plan for the victims of the ”Guedj market” and their access to financing from respectively from different dedicated programs of the State of Senegal.
The mayor of Kaolack, Serigne Mboup, who went to the bedside of the victims of the ”Guedj market”, called on the public authorities to take more care of the markets to avoid this type of situation.
”We appeal to the government of Senegal to take care of the markets, because of the country’s budget, which amounts to more than 6,000 billion CFA francs, a good part comes from markets and other places of commercial transactions. It’s time to take care of the markets,” he argued.
According to her, “anarchic occupation at the market level, promiscuity, saturation, non-standard connections are conducive to starting fires and their spread”.
The PRMOGEM coordinator underlined the urgency of finding consensus around market management through discussions and other consultations. “These commercial infrastructures constitute the beating heart of communities where citizen action and the rules that are enacted must be scrupulously observed.”
She recalled that PROMOGEM is the ”catalyst for the economic, environmental and social development of such infrastructures”.
She says she is prepared to facilitate the rehousing plan for the victims of the ”Guedj market” and their access to funding from various dedicated programs of the State of Senegal.
The mayor of Kaolack, Serigne Mboup, who went to the bedside of the victims of the ”Guedj market”, called on the public authorities to take more care of the markets to avoid this type of situation.
”We appeal to the government of Senegal to take care of the markets, because of the country’s budget, which amounts to more than 6,000 billion CFA francs, a good part comes from markets and other places of commercial transactions. It’s time to take care of the markets,” he argued.
Mr. Mboup announced that a commission will be set up as soon as possible to identify the victims. It is a question of seeing what the town hall and the State could do in their favor. According to him, an envelope of 50 million CFA francs will be released by the municipality of Kaolack, in support of these victims.
An action plan for all risky markets
The Minister of the Interior and Public Security, Jean-Baptiste Tine, had contacted all of the country’s administrative authorities for the development of a road map for securing markets, recalled the prefect of the department of Kaolack, Latyr Ndiaye.
”We have already developed the action plan that we intend to implement and which concerns all risky markets in the commune of Kaolack,” said Mr. Ndiaye. It includes freeing up access routes to markets, he said.
”This action plan will take into account the issue of electricity and other activities which should not take place within the markets. It is these visits which will make it possible to take stock of the situation, identify risks and propose solutions,” assures the head of the departmental executive.
He also mentioned the execution of a training and awareness component on the use of emergency means, risky behavior, as well as the development of internal regulations for all markets.
Another aspect concerns raising awareness among Senegalese people about the importance of taking out fire insurance.
ADE/SKS/ASB/FKS/ASG
