Daily Independent (Lagos)
Stella Odueme
1 December 2008
Accra — Most of the times, driving through Lagos Island could be hectic and time-consuming. This is basically not only due to deplorable state of the roads, but also largely due to the activities of street traders, who dot the nooks and crannies of the area displaying their wares right on the roads. Nowadays, they seem to have converted walkways to trading points and their businesses are booming, as they enjoy patronage from residents.
This scenario in the Central Business District (CBD) is replicated in other parts of the state. However, the tea party will soon be over completely for these traders, as the Lagos State Government has commenced a full-scale war against street trading. Though street trades still exist, many of them in parts of the state have since been cleared while others have been prosecuted for embarking on such ventures.
The places where some such trading points once existed are being converted to beautification and recreational centres, even as the Office of Central Business District said it has opened up more roads to traffic around Idumota area in effort to reduce traffic bottlenecks in the CBD.
One of the major roads opened to traffic is the road leading to the popular Dosunmu Street, which was once perpetually blocked by street traders. The road, which leads to Adeniji Adele foreshore (Ejalonibu) joining Idumagbo Street, it was gathered, had remained impassable for decades due to the activities of street traders and commercial transport operators in the area. It was so bad that even major streets that were motorable were rendered impassable for more than a decade by street traders. Thus, the opening up of these streets has further eased vehicular and human traffic flow in Idumota, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ereko, Balogun and Martins streets in Lagos Island.
Most people, who spoke about the development, said the government's move has relieved them of the heavy vehicular and human traffic hitherto suffered in the area, especially as the Christmas and New festivities, which translate to heavy movement towards Lagos Island for shopping spree and other activities, approach.
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Central Business Districts (CBD), Oyinlomo Danmole, promised residents of a hitch-free shopping in the coming festive season.
"We are poised to ensure that the traffic situation around Lagos CBD will be stress-free for shoppers, commuters and businesses in the festive period. As you can observe, we have reduced the obstruction caused by the activities of street traders and commercial transport operators in the area in the last one year, aside opening up Idumagbo Street, Ereko Street, Ago Tower to Dosunmu from Ejalonibu," he said.
He called on banks and other businesses within CBD area to stop granting street traders the use of their business premises and frontage for display of their wares. He asked them to stop mounting generators on the walkways in area.
"There is a need for the banks and other business premises to stop the erection of generators on walkways, as non-adherence to this warning may result to closure of such banks or business premises for obstruction of movement," he warned.
He further stressed the readiness of his office to make the Lagos CBD un-conducive for miscreants and street urchins, as historical monuments like 'Ago Tower' (Clock Tower) and Eyo Cenotaph quadrangle, which hitherto were taken over by some street traders and urchins alike, are presently undergoing rehabilitation with provision of protective iron barricades to ward off further invasion by street traders.
Already, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) Brigade, the law enforcement arm of Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, has announced that it has commenced the auctioning of confiscated goods and items from illegal street traders across the state. According to the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, the auctioning exercise, which is at the instance of a directive from Governor Fashola, was to begin on Monday November 24 at the KAI Headquarters Office, Ikeja.
"All goods that have been confiscated by the KAI Magistrate Court should be auctioned six months after the court's judgment," the directive stated.
Speaking on this development, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environmental Matters, who is also KAI Marshal General, Cap. Danjuma Meigeri (rtd), urged members of the public to come out to enjoy the opportunity presented by the exercise. He especially called on the less-privileged in the society to catch-in on the opportunity to make good purchases for their families' upkeep.
Meigeri stated that public servants, political appointees, members of the law enforcement agencies, including KAI, officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed Forces are excluded from buying or participating in the auction exercise.
Such confiscated goods that would be auctioned include electronics, such as DVD players, home theatres, VCD players, fans, television sets, radio sets, motorbikes, vulcanising machines, tyres, fridges, umbrellas, phone accessories, foot wears and clothes, among others.
Before the directive, the confiscated goods were offered to orphanage and remand homes across the state. However, many of the street traders have complained about the move, which they alleged was targeted at them, saying the state government was tacitly telling them to go back to their home states.
Some of them, who attributed trading along the streets to lack of fund to rent shops, said government should be more tolerant of their activities since they have to engage in one trading or the other to cater for their needs and that of their families. For them, street trading is a better choice than engaging in criminal acts that could pose grave danger to the state and its inhabitants.
Many are of the opinion that sending street traders parking without alternative arrangement could push frustrated people to taking up unworthy ventures. They argue that since they are unemployed people who find ways of making money by engaging themselves in legitimate businesses and also providing needed services, government should find a meeting point that would be beneficial to it and those affected.
They also argue that rather than forcing them out, the government should establish guidelines that will regulate their activities in the interest of all.
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