The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Traders

  • Balogun Market fire:Traders seek compensation from Lagos

    Marketers and traders in Lagos State have appealed to the state government to compensate victims of Balogun Market fire, which happened on Monday.

    The traders, acting under the aegis of Coalition of Markets and Traders Association in Lagos, made  the appeal yesterday when they held an ‘extraordinary general meeting’.

    Speaking at the event, Sir Nnamdi Nwigwe of the Association of Igbos in Commerce (AIC), one of the associations in the Coalition, noted that traders who lost one item or the other in the fire that razed the market needed to be compensated to serve as consolation for  their loses.

    Sir Nwigwe lamented that some traders displayed their wares along the road that should have been used by men of the Lagos State Fire  and Safety Services to  doused the inferno and reduce losses.

    He therefore urged Governor Babatunde Fashola to urgently take steps to stop  people who illegally and indiscriminately display their wares.

    The group also urged the government to back an insurance policy for marketers to cover situations such as fire outbreaks and other losses.

    The Coalition is the umbrella body of four associations, namely: AIC, Traders Rights Protecion Initiative (TRPI), Amalgamated Traders, Lagos and Market Leaders Association.

    The gathering also had in attendance, the Imo State Liaison Officer for Lagos, Alfred Ononugbo.

    The association enjoined traders not to make themselves instruments in the hands of desperate politicians. They threatened to severely sanction any trader caught in the act.

  • Traders grieve over burnt goods

    Traders grieve over burnt goods

    Fires during the festivities have razed stalls in parts of Aba, throwing the traders into grief. Articles estimated at over N205 million went up in smoke at Ehi Road by Old Court as well as Dan Fodio by Dan Dikko Road in Abia State’s commercial city. Investigations were still on as some described the inferno as mysterious.

    The Nation gathered that the two fire incidents occurred at midnight when the traders were either at home or had travelled to their villages for the Yuletide.

    Abia State Fire Chief, Mr. Victor Gbaruko confirmed the two incidents, saying his men were still investigating even as added that fluctuating electrical current and fireworks may be to blame.

    Gbaruko said his men who went to put out the fire were able to save property valued at over N800million at Ehi Road while the salvaged at Dan Fodio were estimated to be up to N250m.

    He said, “We have attended to about 10 fire incidents between the first of January till today (yesterday) and we are still counting.”

    The fire chief who confirmed another fire outbreak at Jubilee road during last week within the commercial metropolis said no life was lost in three fire incidents and however reiterated the warning for people to avoid keeping combustible or any material capable of igniting fire in their homes, offices or shops.

    He also advised that owners of warehouses should make their warehouses airy to allow circulation of oxygen to avoid possible of fire outbreak as a result of change in weather temperature or instantaneous ignition of temperature.

    Our reporter who visited the scenes of the infernos reports that traders whose shops were affected were lamenting over their losses as some of them who spoke amidst tears said that they lost everything they had in their chops to the fire even before the arrival of the firefighters.

    One of the affected shop owners at Ehi road, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Nwaokike a chemical dealer said though he had almost exhausted his goods, he lost over N300, 000 in the process.

    “I am expecting my goods to come in anytime soon, the few I lost were about N300, 000. Nobody saved anything. All our goods were gone in the fire. I was at home when I got a call that our shop is on fire and by the time I got here, just like other neighbours, all our goods have been consumed, no pin was saved”, Nwaokike narrated.

    Another shop owner who spoke in tears said he lost all he has laboured for in the past 15 years and wonder how he is going to cope in the face of austerity and hardship, even as he stated that he has been the breadwinner of the family.

    The source disclosed that a neighbour who just offloaded a trailer load of chemicals could also not save anything even as he stated that there was no electricity supply in the entire building and wondered how and where the fire could have emanated from.

    However, it was gathered that another fire incident also broke out near Bakassi Shoe Plaza at Ariaria International Market at the weekend, though information about the incident remained sketchy as at the time this report a source at the Aba Fire Service Station confirmed it and said that they were yet to ascertain the cause of the fire and estimate of property damaged.

  • Ajimobi gives N300m to traders

    Ajimobi gives N300m to traders

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has distributed N300 million to 6,000 traders and artisans under the Oyo State government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Micro, Small and Medium entrepreneur development fund scheme.

    The governor made the distribution at the capacity-filled Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

    The governor, who presented N50,000 cheque to each of the beneficiaries, said the government made the loan interest-free as it would be responsible for the payment of nine per cent interest rate to CBN.

    Ajimobi, who was assisted by the Head of Service, Soji Eniade, said the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the traders and artisans that his government would positively touch the lives of everyone.

    He assured that the traders would make life better for them, urging them, therefore, to keep on supporting his administration so that dividends of democracy could get to all parts of the state.

    The governor urged the beneficiaries to use the loan judiciously for others to benefit.

    The CBN controller, Southwest, Misbau Olatinwo, said the bank had put in place a body to monitor the utilisation of the fund by the beneficiaries.

    The Babaloja, Dauda Oladapo and the Iyaloja, Labake Lawal, lauded the government’s gesture.

    The benefiting associations are: Ibadan Joint Traders’ Association; State Market Men And Women Association; Nigeria Youth Traders Association; National Traders And Market Leaders Council; Oyo State Canteen Food Sellers And Artisan Association of Nigeria.

  • Traders seek help over burnt shops

    Traders seek help over burnt shops

    Traders whose shops at 116 and 118 Ndoki Road by East Aba, Abia State were burnt in a mysterious midnight fire have appealed to the state governor Chief Theodore Orji, President Jonathan and public-spirited individuals for help.

    Some of them, who spoke when our correspondent visited the area, said that life has not been easy with them after the inferno as they were yet to pay for the destroyed goods which they bought on credit. Some others said that they were yet to offset the loans they borrowed from financial institutions, a situation which has made things doubly difficult for their families, even to feed.

    A shop owner, Mr. James Igwe Kalu, the breadwinner of his family, was in tears when he spoke. “Life has not been the same for us,” he said. “My family hardly eats and I can hardly sleep because I have not been able to offset the debt I owe the people from whom I bought the cloth in my shop. It is difficult for us to now put food on our respective family tables. Some whom their wives are pregnant are expecting to fathers and they are yet to have something doing. It is really a difficult situation and a trying time for us.

    “Children school fees can no longer be paid. Some of the people affected are planning to withdraw their children from the various schools (private). We are in December, very soon January where most of us will be paying our house and shop rents. We still have school fees to pay and as it stands now, we are yet to start off with our businesses.

    “Are you going to borrow money from a bank or any lending agency without depositing any collateral? Some have equally met their relations to lend them money but such couldn’t work out.

    “Our hope is going down every day and that is why we want to use this medium to appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan, our dear Governor Theodore Orji, some political office holders and the philanthropists we have in Abia and beyond to please come to our aids.

    “We lost a huge amount of money close to N30million in the inferno and if not for the timely intervention of men of the State Fire Service the whole market would have been raised down by the fire. We are yet to know the actual cause of the fire. Officers of the fire service were here days after the incident and they are yet to relay to us what was the remote cause of the fire”.

    Some other traders who spoke to our correspondent corroborated Mr. Igwe’s story, though some of them who said that their distributors share in their pains still sell goods to them at least to sell and sustain their families while they were still expected to set off their old debts when situation improves.

    The Nation reported over two weeks ago that a mysterious midnight fire had engulfed their business centers, destroying goods of over N20million which left the traders wailing uncontrollably as they could not rescue a pin from their shops.

  • How we became robbers, by traders

    How we became robbers, by traders

    They are traders but their desperate search for wealth pushed them into robbery.

    Yesterday, two auto spare parts dealers at the popular Ladipo market in Lagos, Uche Chukwu (21) and Ndubisi Amehelu (28), said they became robers to make it “big” after losing their jobs.

    Chukwu said he took to armed robbery after he was sacked at a private security company.

    He was arrested with Amehelu by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command.

    Popularly called Omo Balanda (traders without shops), the suspects are being held for alleged robbery, snatching and selling stolen cars and motor parts.

    They expressed regrets that the police aborted their plan to get rich quick and celebrate Christmas “in a big way” with proceeds from crime.

    Chukwu, an Ikwere indigene in Rivers State, said when he was sacked, his salary was N25,000 monthly, adding: “Owing to my joblessness, I stayed at the Bolade bus stop and the rail line behind Ikeja Cantonment, where we smoked Indian hemp from morning till night. It was there that notorious gangs recruit members and that was where I was recruited.”

    Confessing that his first operation fetched him N15,000, Chukwu said one Felix took the stolen car to Benin, the Edo State capital. The second operation, which took place at the Lagos airport, he added, “was unsuccessful and that led to my arrest.”

    Amahelu said the arrest, two months ago, of a man who used to buy stolen cars from him led to his arrest and eventual remand at the Kirikiri Prisons, adding: “I was frustrated because my pregnant wife was trying to perfect my bail. I met a robber friend, Ogaga, in the prison. He taught me how to make money in prison. He introduced me to a buyer through whom I could get money to perfect my bail.

    “It worked out and I left the prison on November 5. He got me a buyer. As my case was coming up on November 19, the buyer promised to bring N100,000 deposit. It was after burying my mother when I followed them to Ifoh that SARS operatives arrested us.”

    A police source said their arrest followed a tip-off.

  • Igbo traders troop out for civic education

    The main auditorium of the Trade Fair Complex, Badagry Expressway was packed full of Igbo residents in Lagos. The gathering was not the usual Igbo gathering for the new yam feast nor was it the usual Igbo-Day celebration. It was a day that traders across the state left their businesses to receive civic education. It was a gathering to bring about the revitalisation of Igbo participation in the politics of the state and the country at large.

    The event was organised by Ndigboamaka, a coalition of 58 traders’ associations in the state.

    Speaking to journalists, the group’s National Coordinator, Nze Basil Osunkwo, said the reason for the sensitisation was to remind the traders of their civic responsibility, which includes, obtaining voters cards and voting on Election Day.

    Nze Osunkwo noted that the exercise, which will be carried out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) leads to the issuance of permanent voters cards to eligible voters. He said, “This sensitisation programme became very necessary considering the fact that in the past, some of the traders were so engrossed in their businesses that they were not concerned with their basic civic responsibility as citizens, more so, they have never appreciated the enormous powers they wield with their voters cards, especially when they put the card to action by voting for their preferred candidates at elections.”

    He noted that there was no reason for any one to complain about bad governance if he or she remains aloof over election matters, noting that the time has come for these traders to take their destinies in to their hands by deciding who rules over them with their votes.

    He said: “What we are doing is a sacrifice and that is why we have abandoned or businesses and works to organise this sensitization programme to remind the people of the revalidation of voters card exercise that begins today and ends on Sunday.

    “ Our group, which comprises 58 markets associations in Lagos, has observed that many traders don’t take the issue of election very seriously and so do not even make out time to register and obtain voters cards. This we think will not help the political development of the country.

    “ Election begins with getting voters card and then casting your votes for your preferred candidate at election. We are sensitizing and educating these market men, women and other professionals on the need for them to realize the powers they have with the cards in deciding who rules over them at various levels.”

    Nze Osuokwu said in the past that traders usually registered at units close to their market places and on election day, markets are not opened and there is restriction of movements and in the end such traders disenfranchised themselves. “ We are appealing to them and to equally make them see reason why they should make the necessary sacrifice for them to register at the units close to their residence so that on election days they would go out to vote and not staying at home because they could go to the polling units at their market places.”

  • Computer traders allege violation of constitution by leaders

    Members of the Computer and Allied Products Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) have accused their leaders of violating their constitution.

    They said no election has been held in 10 years, which, according to them, is contrary to their constitution’s provision that there must be new leaders every four years.

    The traders alleged the tenure of the Ibrahim Tunji-led executive had since elapsed but the officers have remained in office in breach of their rules.

    They marched on the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos, and adjourning streets, bearing placards, some of which read: “Election must hold now!” “Saving the market is a must” “12 years in office is a slap!” “In credible election we believe, not selection!” “We need a change now!” among others.

    The traders urged the association’s board of trustees to “put a mechanism in motion” towards holding an election, saying: “We request that an Electoral Committee should be constituted immediately to enable them publish the election modalities as well as manage the electoral process.”

    A founding CAPDAN executive member, Mrs Abisola Isokpehi said another election is long overdue. Her words: “Why won’t a change be necessary in 10 years? Have you heard that a set of executives will be in office for 10 years? I’m one of the ‘excos’. We don’t call meetings, nothing; just two or three people parading themselves as CAPDAN executive officers and doing things we don’t know about. But that’s beside the point. How can we be in power for 10 years? As I speak we don’t even have an office or a secretariat. I am ready to let go as the auditor if an election will hold.”

    One of traders, Bayo Olawunmi, said: “Nobody is happy with the way the market is being run. All the stakeholders are complaining. They feel the present executives are not doing enough and they want a change. Up till this moment, no election of transition committee has been constituted.

    “We’re urging the state government to intervene. The Constitution says after four years, there must be an election, but none has been held for over 10 years. We need a lot of changes to be effected because the market is not well-regulated. We have a bad name of selling fake products because of lack of proper regulation and we are losing customers,” he said.

    However, CAPDAN’s Board of Trustees’ chairman Mr Ganiyu Alimi said arrangements were on to hold an election soon.

    “We had started the process before this agitation by the traders. We plan to appoint a caretaker committee. The president actually said he has stepped aside, giving room for an election to hold.

    “Before any credible election is held, there must be a new roster of members. That’s why we’re saying there should be a committee that will be in place to arrange these things. It is not automatic. Ask these people to show you their membership cards, many of them cannot,” he said.

  • Boko Haram: Damaturu after traders’ ban

    Boko Haram: Damaturu after traders’ ban

    Wheelbarrow-hawkers and roadside shops have been banned at four major roads in the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, after the Joint Military Force (JTF) said they found that Boko Haram fighters were using them to foment trouble. The roads are Potiskum Road, Gashua Road, Maiduguri Road and Gujba Road. The ban also affected all makeshift shops and fruit sellers.

    How did the traders take clampdown? Not very kindly, and their reaction has caught the attention of the state government which wants to pacify the traders and also ensure peace in the capital and state.

    The directive which was disseminated by the state Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Culture and the local radio station (YBC) asked all concerned to comply with it or face the wrath of the law.

    While the JTF maintained that it was a hard decision to take, it also stressed the necessity to ensure the safety of life and property in the state.

    The directive, however, took most residents by surprise and elicited angry reactions from some of the traders who were prepared for a showdown with the security operatives.

    Investigations by The Nation revealed that opinions were divided over the decision of the JTF especially at this critical time when a lot of people have been forced into menial jobs and petty trading from their former businesses which were either lost to Boko Haram attacks or abandoned in the same vein.

    Some residents who spoke with The Nation described the decision as “harsh and hasty, unreasonable and insensitive,” stressing that it will create more problems than it will solve. Some others feel the decision of the JTF is for the good of the people.

    A resident who identified himself simply as Hamisu, said, “I am not a security man but I want to believe that in any decision that these people (security) take, there must be something they know that we don’t know. And maybe it’s because of such a thing they would come up with this kind of decision. It looks harsh but it’s going to benefit us in the long run, I believe”.

    Another resident who sells fruits along Gujba Road but does not want his name in print, said, “This is a very harsh decision on the common people. It is hasty, unreasonable and insensitive to the plight of the poor people. How can we feed our families without this kobo-kobo that we are getting from this petty market? If they drive us away then where are we going to, join Boko Haram or what?

    The complaints of the people did not fall on deaf ears as the state government apart from asking the JTF to temporarily suspend the directives set up a high-powered committee comprising the trade unions and other relevant stakeholders including Damaturu local government officials as well as members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state. The committee which is headed by the State Commissioner for Environment Alh. Idi Barde Gubana  among other things is tasked with the responsibility of getting an alternative market for the traders before the full enforcement of the JTF orders.

    As part of efforts to ensure strict compliance of the directive in future, the committee to move to find alternative place for those who will be affected by the directive. The committee has bege. Inspecting some open sites within the state capital with a  view to establishing a new market for the traders who are due to be sacked by the time the ban takes effect.

    The Committee Chairman told the traders that the stage government was concerned about their plight and is taking measures to ensure that the unnecessary suffering is avoided. He emphasised that the military directive is in the interest of peace for all and called on the people to comply with the order as without peace, “no business activity will be carried out in the first place”

    He said: “The Yobe State government is concerned that so many residents will be jobless as a result of the ban hence the need to plead with the security forces for extension of the dateline to find an alternative location for the various hawkers to enable them carryout their lawful business activities before enforcing the ban. We therefore beg you to be law abiding by cooperating with security operatives in the search for lasting peace which is a veritable ingredient for any meaningful development to strive”, he said

    He also disclosed that his committee will speedily ensure that everything is put in place and nobody who intends to carryout legitimate business in the state will suffer. He however warned hoodlums who would want to take advantage of the situation to breach the peace of the state, while calling on traders to report any suspicious character among them.

    The chairman Damaturu Local Government Alhaji Kalli Mohammed also asked the traders to give their maximum support to the government for being considerate to their plight. He pledge the support of his council  towards the  actualization of  the dream of an ultra modern  market in the state capital, while calling on the traders to take advantage of the grace period to fix themselves awaiting the orders.

    The chairman, Damaturu Marketers Association, Alhaji Usman Mu’azu expressed gratitude to Yobe state government for sourcing for an alternative location for the traders and extension of time on the order by the military and assured of adequate sensitization of   his members. On his part, the Chairman of NURTW Yobe State Hussaini Ibrahim advised government to take advantage of the existing Sunday Market in the metropolis that is lying fallow instead of getting an entirely new place that may cost more money for the government. “We have gone round and seeing places but our advice is that Yobe State government can facelift the Sunday Market which has enough land to accommodate every trader in Damaturtu. “It will be cost effective for the government to follow this advice than sourcing for an entirely a new plot of land for a market which may cost millions of naira in either compensation or construction. The Sunday Market in our opinion is the best option for the government to explore at the moment especially because of the urgency of this matter”, he said.

    However, It is not clear at the moment how long the grace of the extension of the order by the JTF on the ban on hawking in the metropolis would last as the military have kept mute over the issue for now. Many traders(hawkers) is the state are now jubilating over the state government intervention on the ban, not forgetting also how urgent the state government is prepared to provide an adhoc market for them. A security source mentioned in confidence that, “we will monitor the situation and see how fast the state government could act on their promises. But if we discover that it will affect our operations, we will go ahead with our plans”. This is not the first time the JTF is banning hawking in the state. In the last two years, such a directive was issued to beggars and hawkers especially carrying out their trades close to security points but those orders were flaunted.

     

  • Traders, motorcyclists clash

    There was pandemonium at the popular Dei-dei Timber Shade at Deidei community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), when Igbo timber traders clashed with commercial motorcycle operators.

    According to eyewitnesses, the death of one of the timber traders sparked the crisis.

    One of the eyewitnesses, Mr. Painter Ganiu, told our correspondent that the crisis occurred when a female food vendor who was crossing to the other side of the road was hit by an okada rider.

    His words: “As the woman tried to grip the okada rider to make him pay for her food, he attempted to run away, but was immediately accosted by an unidentified trader who prevented him from escaping, insisting that he must pay for the food.

    “Out of desperation to escape, the okada rider immediately brought out a dagger and stabbed the trader, who screamed and fell on the ground. Noticing that a colleague of theirs had been stabbed, other traders rushed to prvent the okada rider from escaping, even as they tried to save the life of their stabbed colleague by taking him to the hospital.

    “But, before they could take him to the hospital, the young man died. When they noticed that the young man was dead, the traders pounced on the okada rider and started beating him mercilessly. As he was shouting, other okada riders left their bikes and attacked the traders.

    “When the security personnel came to calm the situation, all the bike riders ran into the bush, while the traders ran to their sheds. I cannot really say what happened to the man that stabbed the trader, because all of them took to their heels on sighting the security personnel.”

    Another eye witness, Alhassan Mohammed said the crisis extended from Dei-dei Timber Shade to Dei-dei and Tomatoes junctions, where Hausa men attacked the Igbo traders, beating and injuring any one they could lay their hands on.

  • Who will hear the cry of Oron traders?

    Their market remains closed. Now, the road has become outlet to display their wares, mainly fishes and crayfish. This is the fate of the Assang Crayfish Market in Oron, Akwa Ibom State. They blamed the Navy for their woes.

    The market is just by the Oron beach and it is the economic nerve centre of Oro nation. It also surrounded by the office of the National Commission for Museum and Monuments. Crisis is brewing between the traders and the security operatives following the closure of the crayfish market.

    Not only the market was affected, even those in the business of water transport are currently counting their losses as their boats are not allowed to berth at the Oron beach.

    According to the Family Head of Idua Assang in Oron, where the Beach Market is located, Obong Edet Ekpong,  the occupation of Oron waters by the Navy began on September 9,  after a Navy official travelling from Oron to Calabar by boat was attacked and probably killed by sea pirates.

    Ekpong said: “I was in my house that morning when we learnt that the pirates attacked the boat conveying the naval official and took him away. I don’t know if he was killed but the driver of the boat jumped into water and escaped. Since then, we have not known peace.”

    The chief explained that after the attack on the boat conveying the Naval officer, Navy official arrived at the market shooting sporadically into the air while stopping all forms of business in the market and at the beach.

    He added: “We cannot be made to suffer for the failure of the security agencies and government of the day. This beach is the only source of livelihood of our people. So, we challenge the Navy to go and arrest the pirates and allow us do our business in peace. When our people were killed nobody did anything about it.”

    The traders claimed that after the closure of the market, they lodged complaint with the local government chairman Omar Esin but he has failed to come to the rescue of the traders by looking into the matter.

    “For instance during last week market, some of our people displayed their fish, crayfish and other items on the road, but we were not fortunate to conclude the business peacefully as rain came to destroy the goods. Those of us who have frozen food lost everything completely; so this is very sad and we want government at all levels to intervene so that we can continue our business.” The traders lamented.

    The traders urged government not to neglect the pirates attack because in their view the pirates are stealing so much money and could use that to acquire guns to attack the country.

    One of the traders said: “Don’t forget that not too long ago the pirates attacked the Police Marine Headquarters in Oron, carts away all the weapons and up till date no single ammunition has been recovered. This was how Boko Haram started and it was neglected. If this pirates who are cultists continue like this they may have so much money to buy weapons, train more cultists and become a threat to security in Nigeria.”

    When contacted, the Commander of the NNS-Jubilee, Commodore Joel Ogazi, declined to comment on the development, but directed our correspondent to visit him in the office.

    He said: “If you want to ask me anything about Oron. Please, come to my office.”

    One of the traders, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, condemned the Navy for the untold hardship.

    A source alleged that: “Initially, some people who claimed to be Navy personnel agents asked us to pay between N1, 000 and N500 because they had orders to give the Navy personnel N200, 000 if they would allow us to do business there. We paid the money and we were allowed to stay last week but this week they stopped us again.”

    The traders’ prayer is simply: allow us use the market withour fear or favour. It is not too much to ask.