FCT: TRADERS PROTEST DEMOLITION OF MARKETS

The continued demolition exercise of illegal structures at various
locations around the Federal capital territory authority and its
subsidiaries, has ones again received a stiff opposition from the
traders union at Nyanya modern market Abuja, as hundreds of traders
Saturday staged a protest over the planned demolition of the popular
Nyanya Market.

the protesting traders, who blocked the entrance gate of the Abuja
municipal area council area ten, demanded the heads of the leadership
of Municipal Area Council (AMAC) together with that of the Federal
Capital
Development Authority (FCDA).

Specifically, the aggrieved traders- mostly women and youts, were seen
displaying placards bearing various protest messages when they
stormed the AMAC Secretariat in Area 10, causing traffic gridlock on
the major road in the area.
Also, they barricaded the main entrance of the council secretariat,
preventing vehicular and human movement into and out of the place, for
about an hour.

According to the traders, their action followed the FCDA’s marking of
their shops demolition and other structures for actual removal within
24-hours, which they vowed to resist at all cost.

Speaking to newsmen, who were at the scene, the Treasurer of Nyanya
Market Traders Association, Ahmed Shehu, said that they were taken
aback by the sudden move to demolition their shops, which they only
became aware of, when government task force accompanied by armed
policemen invaded the market, and issued them with 24-hour notice to
remove their goods, as the market has been earmarked for immediate
demolition.

Lamenting the development, he said it was unfortunate that the
government would contemplate demolishing the market, without
adequately informing the would-be affected traders in the place.
He however, appealed to the government to halt the planned demolition
of the market, as it would bring about a lot of hardship to the
people.

Meanwhile, addressing the protesting traders, after meeting with their
leaders in his office,   the AMAC Vice Chairman, Lawrence Onuchukwu,
said as mistake the alleged marking of the entire market for
demolition, which prompted the protest.

Onuchukwu, who spoke on behalf of the AMAC Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu
Candido told the protesting traders return to their shops and continue
trading, as it was wrong marking by the FCDA officials.
Assuring them that there was no cause for alarm, as the government
only intends to remove illegal structures used for other activities
that are not trade related.

According to him, it was the traders that informed the Council
leadership to sanitize the market, by getting rid of nuisances in the
place.