Bobo-Dioulasso, economic capital, is one of the cities that gives prestige to the country. However, if you take a look around the central market, it’s a mess. Observed this September 11, 2023, near the entrance to Accart-Ville.
Passing through the big market is a real ordeal, especially for pedestrians who want to reach the market. The road is totally congested, it’s a total mess. This means that even on foot, you have to be very careful about the risk of being hit by a vehicle or motorcycle. At the entrance to the market towards the Accart-ville side, we see parked motorcycles sometimes spilling onto the main road. In addition to this, there is the uncontrolled parking of carts and tricycles. Without forgetting also the facilities of the small businesses that some operate on the side of the road.
Indeed, vehicles, carts, motorcycles, tricycles, pedestrians, all intermingle. But this situation seems to be neglected and ignored by the population of Bobo-Dioulasso. A pedestrian, speaking on condition of anonymity, testifies. “Priority is given more to goods than to road users. And moreover, the observation is the same almost everywhere at the level of all the entries into the large market”, he said. Another witness on site did not hide his heartfelt cry in the face of this situation. “The situation is very worrying in the sense that the level of incivility is significant. Every day that God makes, the authorities raise awareness but people do not respect,” he laments. “This situation is the cross and the banner for users”, added a third citizen also anonymously.
However, the authorities are doing their best to stop this brawl around the city’s largest market. But despite all this awareness, the disorder persists. In any case, the question of relieving congestion in the central market of Bobo-Dioulasso is already on the table of the Municipal Council. Faced with the situation, the municipality has already taken measures to declutter the market. It remains to take action to bring order around this large commercial structure. And this must not delay any longer, because the phenomenon is a real danger for the population.
Ben Alassane DAO
Salimata Samiratou SYLLA/ Intern
