Ouagadougou – Burkina Faso’s transitional government, led by Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla, has pledged to restore order and discipline in the nation’s markets and yaars. This initiative is part of a broader effort to tackle issues like illegal activities and market speculation.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the current market disorder is a result of various factors, including complicity among traders and lax enforcement by public authorities. He highlighted the need for a stringent approach to address these challenges during the opening of the State’s General of Markets and Yaars in Ouagadougou. The event, themed “Management and operation of market infrastructures in Burkina Faso: state of play and perspectives,” brought together various stakeholders to discuss the way forward.
The Prime Minister criticized the role of politicians in exacerbating market disorder, accusing them of favoritism and improper practices for political gains. Emphasizing the transitional government’s independence from political parties, he expressed a commitment to enforcing order for the public good. Kyélem de Tambèla announced plans for legal action against traders engaged in speculative activities, including those who rent out spaces at exorbitant rates and those involved in illegal activities.
Trade Minister Serge Gnaniodem Poda also spoke at the event, pointing out the lack of discipline and the presence of prohibited products in marketplaces. The Estates General, according to Minister Poda, serves as a forum for stakeholders to discuss and address the critical issues and constraints affecting the proper functioning of markets and yaars.
The decision to organize the States General and implement stringent measures was a result of a meeting held on September 11, 2023, between market traders, yaars, and the President of the Transition, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The meeting aimed to foster direct dialogue and pave the way for effective solutions to improve market and yaar operations in Burkina Faso.