Over 5,000 displaced traders cannot get shops
The fate of over 6,000 traders – mostly electrical/electronic dealers from the Southeastern part of the country – is still hanging in the balance since their shops were demolished and goods destroyed by the Lagos State Government about seven weeks ago.
The worst are the over 5,400 traders who cannot be accommodated at the new market complex because available space and design could only provide 580 shops and 24 toilets for both traders and their customers.
Against the backdrop of complaints that the new site cannot accommodate the over 6,000 traders besides the price of the shops being out of reach of a people who just lost all their wares to the government demolition, our correspondent was greeted by a beautiful, serene market complex, fresh and neat but with no trading activities going on.
The going is not so good
One of the displaced traders who found himself in a dilemma is Mr. Victor Udeh, a victim of Owonifari market who is just hanging on, hoping to figure a way out. He spoke to our correspondent at the popular Arena Multipurpose Military shopping complex in Oshodiarea of Lagos where he is squatting with another trader in the meantime.
“The demolition exercise caught most of us unawares because the State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni came with top officials of Lagos State Government to lock up the market premises before the demolition came up on the 14th of January, 201.”
Victor who sold photographic products in the market for a living is one of the lucky few who had moved his wares worth N1.5m out one day before the demolition was executed; but he has another problem:
“I thank God I was tipped off by the chairman of the market and I removed my things immediately. But before the demolition, government agents brought forms for us to fill in order to relocate to the new resettlement modern electronics market.
“The form was given to us free, and after the demolition, we were asked to submit the forms along with land receipt which we did. But considering that the total lock up shops at the plaza is only 580 and we are more than 6,000 traders, the government has systematically scattered us by that demolition.”
Our correspondent gathered that as of Saturday February 20, 2016, the first batch of names of allottees was released by the Lagos State Government. Some people saw their names and some did not. Even Victor Udeh’s name was not there.
“So far, nobody is using the market; the first batch of allottees has just been released and those whose names were on the notice have bought keys and locked up their shops,” Victor said.
“The N5,000 rent, with additional maintenance fee of N6,000 is not reasonable for us. To me who make my money legitimately by the little gadgets I sell, I cannot afford N11,000 per month. Before they demolished the old market, we were not making up to that amount monthly.
“The rest of the people who cannot get the shop are supposed to find their way or go back to their state; that is what we are hearing.”
Travails of the traders
Another victim of the market who relocated to Arena market is the former vice chairman of the market, Mr. Mathew Uwazuruike. He told our correspondent that the traders had been experiencing a lot of challenges in the market before the demolition took place.
“There is a group called ‘Olomowewe’ in Oshodi claiming the rightful ownership of the market. They so harassed and extorted us that we dragged them to court and up to the time of the demolition, our case was still at the High court in Ikeja.
“So on the 15th of December, 2015, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had invited the leadership of the market for a meeting to dialogue on how to move us to Oshodi Resettlement market popularly called Isopako, but unfortunately the government moved and demolished the market before the peaceful move could be exercised.”
Uwazuruike said immediately the hint came to them that Gov. Ambode was coming to pull down the structure of the market, the leadership of the market went to court for an injunction to stay action on execution.
“The injunction was obtained and government was duly served, but they still went ahead to demolish the market.”
Besides the demolition and uncertainty of his future, Uwazuruike touched on more problems facing him and his fellow traders.
“I sell transistor radio and related appliances; in that demolition, more than N5 million worth of my goods perished in one night; I have three children in private schools that I pay more than N300,000 per term. Now I don’t even know how I am going to start life all over again,” he lamented.
Uwazuruike further revealed that the shop here in the Arena cost N300,000 per annum, “But it may be better still compared to the amount that Lagos State Government will be receiving annually on a shop in the new plaza, including so-called maintenance charges.
“So a great percentage of us who are affected cannot afford the new plaza besides the smallness of the shops. I have seen it and it is deliberately constructed to force an average trader to combine two or three, even four shops at that cut throat price to be able to accommodate our goods.”
At the new Isopaakodowo Resettlement Market at Bolade, our correspondent met one Mr. Jamiu Ashafa who appeared to be the government appointed caretaker.
In response to some questions put to him, Ashafa said that government have been patient enough, pleading with the traders to move to the new place allocated to them before the demolition took place. ”I know that very long notice was given to the traders, both officially and privately, so anybody who say he or she lost their goods to the demolition had deliberately turned deaf ears to government warnings.
“The warnings did not start with the present Governor, former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola also gave many notices, even a final one during his administration on the day he officially opened the market. I was there; the traders were given forms to apply for the shops individually so as to gain access to the new market, but many of them said government was not being sincere.”
Ashafa further said Owonifari market complex was not in Lagos State master plan in the first place.
“Apart from being too dirty, it was also a haven for hoodlums and a lot of criminal activities went unaddressed there.
“So, it is part of the aim of government of the day to make Lagos state a better place for all. The shops are conducive and affordable to any serious trader.”
He showed our correspondent two giant power generators installed to ensure regular power supply, fire extinguishers installed at strategic places round the premises, security gadgets to monitor the activities in the market among other facilities.
Ashafa also confirmed and defended the N11,000 monthly rent for each shop.
“The price is affordable as I said before. N5,000 per shop in a plaza like this and maintenance charge of N6,000 is not asking for too much. The advance pay is only three months only, so how can you say N33,000 is too much for you to run your business in a place like this?”, he asked.
The caretaker revealed that in spite of their complaints, over 3,000 traders have applied for the shops. “It is their leadership that misled and misinformed many of them. Some of them are still looking for ways to get the form up till now.”
The man spearheading the displaced traders told The Daily Timesin confidence that some of them have taken Lagos State Government to court to seek compensation for their goods destroyed. “If I cannot afford the rent for the new shop and I don’t even have any money anyway, at least let government pay me for all my goods they destroyed last January and let me find my level,” a victim told The Daily Times.
