20 November 2008
Recently the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) authorities announced plans to ban street hawking in Abuja, the nation's capital. The measure was taken because it was seen as creating the chaotic traffic situation that has persisted in the city as hawkers take advantage of the slow pace of movement of vehicles to sell their wares, particularly at major junctions. The hawkers are also blamed for the refuse that has also overrun the city.
Previous administrations in the FCT have demonstrated some level of commitment to sanitation, but the efforts were dogged by controversies. Actions taken in this direction included the banning of commercial motor cycles, popularly known as Okada; street begging and the privatisation of refuse collection among other measures. However these measures have not been effectively policed and enforced, resulting into an Abuja city assuming the notoriety of Lagos for filth and street trading. The commercial motor cycles, otherwise known as Okada riders are threatening to return to the city, and this may happen soon unless stringent action is taken against those violating the ban. The Okada disappearance from Abuja city streets gave harassed vehicle owners some respite from perpetually being on the lookout for pedestrians while trying to dodge the cyclists.
On refuse, we recall that private companies were engaged to undertake its removal. They were placed under the supervision of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to ensure the refuse were evacuated properly but in spite of the sum of N100million which officials say goes into the project weekly, the city is not any cleaner. Yet not long ago, Abuja city witnessed some measure of cleanliness so much so that it earned those running the city commendations. Indeed during the tenure of El-Rufai the city authorities applied themselves to the duty of keeping it clean by scrupulously ensuring that everywhere glittered. They achieved this result by sometimes employing harsh method of constantly raiding illegally erected stalls and wares being sold on streets. All this is long gone, replaced by relentless presence of beggars and street traders/hawkers who have taken up strategic locations to peddle their wares. For example, the Wuse modern market has taken on an ugly visage with traders displaying their wares in a disorganised way, from the entrance to the inner part of the market thereby impeding free flow of traffic and other road users within the vicinity of the market.
The renewed move by the FCT authorities to clean the city of the menace of street trading/hawking is therefore welcome. Already, street beggars are constituting themselves into a nuisance at public places , particularly restaurants, and motor parks. Beggars camps should be managed well to ensure beggars do not find the need to venture out of the camp. One way to reduce the number of people selling on the streets is for the authorities to bring down the cost of renting shops, which presently goes for between N300,000 and N500,000 annually at both the Wuse and the Garki markets thus making it difficult for an average trader to acquire one. Establishing open markets as is done in other parts of the world would go a long way in assisting petty traders to find a place to sell their goods.
Similarly, in the area of sanitation and refuse collection, we urge the FCT authorities to review the activities of contractors handling the evacuation assignments. Engaging the teeming unemployed youth in day- to day cleaning of Abuja could be one way of ridding the city of refuse. The motorised system of street cleaning is also a way of achieving the same results. Let's keep Abuja clean.
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This proposal is good on paper but did FCT take into account what social and economic problems this plan would cause to the hapless, hopeless families? A better way to invest the billions of Naira that is been stolen and stashed away to other countries is to use it to create jobs and offer social programs like monthly stipends and healthcare to the needy and elders
The functions of the Ministry of Social and Human Services should include but not limited to catering for less privileged, poor and elders. If this agency was doing its job chances are that there would be no hawkers on the street. The Government cannot fail in its duties and turn around to deny these Nigerians their means of existence. The aftermath would be armed robbery and economic sabotage. The mess the Hawkers leave behind on the street should create jobs for sanitation workers to clean after them and this is how you circulate the capital this is the fact of life until government become sensible and responsible.