The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Traders

  • Traders’ rage against Bayelsa govt

    Go away. We don’t want to talk to you again. The last time you came we spoke to you but since then till now, nothing has happened. It is either that this government doesn’t read papers or they are insensitive to our plight,” an angry trader at the popular Imgbi Road, Amarata, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State screamed at this reporter.

    The young man identified simply as James had reason to be angry. He was not the only aggrieved person. Other traders along the area were indignant at the negligence and alleged insensitivity of the Bayelsa State government.

    They were annoyed that two months after an articulated vehicle lost control and rammed into their business premises, the government has failed to remove the truck popularly called tipper.

    The truck marked XA 419 KTD was involved in a lone accident on May 21st at the Imgbi Road junction of Amarata Road, Yenagoa. The truck crashed into pavements and decked roofs of buildings located in the area. The accident reportedly occurred in the early hours before the resumption of business.

    Indeed, passers-by had no kind words for the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration. One of them who simply identified himself as Jonathan accused the government of running an elite government.

    “This government pays lip service to the plight of the masses. If this truck had rammed into premises belonging to a prominent person in this state or relations of the governor and governor’s aides, they would have removed it a long time ago.”

    Another woman who said her name is Preye Thomas flayed the government for abandoning the suspended truck at the city centre. He, however, said persons working in some agencies of the government should be blamed for the negligence.

    Besides, a young man who identified himself as Billy was more concerned about what he called the hypocrisy in government.

    “Is this not the government who said they are promoting tourism? The Peace Park at the city centre directly opposite the government house is decaying. Now a truck with this kind of environmental hazard has been abandoned here for a long time and nobody is doing anything about it.

    “They have been bringing foreigners to the state for many international events. This truck was like this when they hosted the international fashion show and other events.

    “Now they are planning economic summit and most beautiful girl in Nigeria show and we know that this thing will remain this way. These foreigners will only come and see how irresponsible we are”, he said.

    James and other traders and shop owners close to the site of the disaster are in dilemma. Their lives are in danger and their business environment is under threat.

    The articulated vehicle popularly called tipper is blocking their business premises, their only sources of making a living. The truck is dangerously suspended on pavements threatening to collapse on them and their shops.

    James and his colleagues have tried in vain to get the authorities to remove the truck, including writing a letter to the Environmental Sanitation Authority.

    Speaking on the same matter, Blessing Ohoach, a petty trader said a responsible government should have removed the truck immediately after the accident.

    Despite their plights, the traders are constantly harassed by officials of the Environmental Sanitation Authority to pay levies. Recently, some of the officials stormed the area to seize goods of the traders demanding N4000 unknown levy from them.

    When one of the officials was asked why his office had done nothing about the abandoned truck, he said: “It is not our business to remove things like this. It is the job of the Ministry of Environment and FRSC. But if the government gives us the order, we will definitely remove it.”

    What is there to say again other than to amplify what these people are saying: government should remove the truck. Failure to do this will amount to insensitivity.There are no two ways about it. Chikena!

  • The world of student-traders

    Some students work to pay their way through school. It is either their parents are poor or they are schooling at old age. There are such students at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State. KEMI BUSARI (Political Science) reports.

    For Toyosi Kolade, shoe-making is not the exclusive preserve of men. She acquired the skill to make a living and pay her way through school. A visit to her room in Ladoke Akintola Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, showed how passionate she is about the vocation.

    Shoes of various sizes are scattered all over the place.

    Toyosi, 22, has just finished from the Political Science Department, but in her last two years, she paid her fees from the money she made as a cobbler. Toyosi ventured into shoe-making to assist her parents.

    She said: “I started shoe-making when I resumed for my third year on campus. A skill acquisition programme came up in my church for youths to learn any trade that would make them independent. I opted for something unique from what others are doing. I chose to make and repair shoes; this fed me throughout my stay on campus.”

    When she started, she was mocked by people who felt she was in a wrong vocation. Toyosi said: “People made me to feel ashamed of myself by mocking me whenever they heard that a female student is doing such work. But I never let that discourage me. In the end, some of the people who taunted me ended up being my customers.”

    Toyosi never allowed the trade to affect her academic pursuit. The Ekiti State-born cobbler said she devoted ample time to her studies and entrepreneurial skill.

    “The reason I ventured into shoe making and repairing is for me to support my parents’ expenses on me. I have always liked to be independent but there was no means. But when I learned the trade, I was able to pay up to 40 per cent of my fees in school.”

    She is not alone in this kind of business. Her colleague, Adeniyi Taiwo, who graduated from the Department of Geography, sells moin-moin (bean cake) at Awolowo Hall. He prepares the garnished moin-moin in thick leaves for sells and each between N25 and N30.

    Adeniyi, who hawks the moin-moin himself, said: “I was motivated to start this because of the meagre resources I got from home. I needed to have my own source of income to be able to pay some little expenses in school. It is not everything that you ask from your parents.”

    To him, the trade is not for women alone. Adeniyi said: “The only business you can tag as women’s trade is the one only a female can handle. In the case of selling moin-moin, everybody can do it, in so far the aim is to make money.”

    Adeniyi moves from one room to the other, hawking.

    In Imo State, Ellen Sunday made her mark, combining business, academics and spiritual life. Ellen, who started from a few wraps of groundnut and sugar in 2012, now manages a full scale business, selling pepper, tomato and kerosene in large quantities.

    “I really want to be independent,” she said, when asked why she dabbled into the business. She added: “I was tired of asking for money from my parents all the time. I started when I was in 300-Level, but when I resumed for final year, I increased my stock and sold to students in large quantities.”

    Of all the wares, Ellen said it is tomato that is most profitable. “I started the trade with about N2,000 but I can’t really determine how much it has grown into. My trade has multiplied even beyond my expectations,” she added.

    Ellen said she is proud to be a student-trader, saying she paid 95 per cent of expenses on campus from the business. “Although my parents used to send money to me but, most times, I won’t touch it. The business paid up to 95 per cent of my expenses on campus,” she said.

    “If I choose to sleep conveniently on my bed, hunger will wake me up. This was why I found it better to discomfort myself so that hunger would not eventually discomfort me,” Bamidele Adeleke, a graduate of Sociology and Anthropology, who eked out a living selling bread, said.

    Instead of sleeping on his bed, Bamidele stockpiles bread on his mattress and squats with his friends.

    He started the business early this year because of what he called “economic meltdown in the family”, which reduced his pocket money from home.

    He said: “I started the business with N1,600 and six packs of bread. Today, I sell about 10 packs a day, which is more than N4,000. The business paid up to 85 per cent of my expenses on campus.”

    Now that they have graduated, does that the death of their business?

    Bamidele, who is currently taking the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) courses, said nothing would separate him from bread business, even as a graduate.

    After her National Youth Service, Toyosi said she would start a shoe-making business on a large scale, urging her colleagues to acquire vocational skills in addition to their academic degrees.

    Adeniyi would like to be his own boss by going into entrepreneurship. Ellen said she would continue the business after school but on a large scale. “I have a dream to have a supermarket of my own,” she said.

  • Aba traders tell GSM operators to shape up

    Aba traders tell GSM operators to shape up

    The 63rd edition of Consumer Outreach Programme organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in Aba, Abia State has given GSM service providers something to think about, and work on.

    Participants at the event, mainly  business men and traders called on GSM network operators to address issues of perennial  network failure and general poor service delivery usually experienced by telecommunication subscribers in the commercial nerve of the state.

    They called for improved service delivery by the network providers, alleging that inconsistency in network signals and poor service delivery by majority of the network providers in the commercial city have adversely affected their business.

    Some of the stakeholders including the chairman, Ariaria International Market, Elder Lucky Akubueze lamented that congestion and inability of traders in Ariaria and other markets in Aba to communicate easily with their customers and suppliers of goods and products remains a threat to their businesses.

    Akubueze thanked NCC for providing mobile phone users the opportunity to meet their operators and expressed hope that the meeting would yield to better services as it has as well provided the operators firsthand information on the areas where they needed to improve their services to the Aba business community.

    Earlier in a welcome address, Mrs. Maryam Bayi, Director Consumer Affairs Bureau represented by her deputy Mr. Joseph Atoyobi  described the theme “Customer Care Help Lines: A Veritable Platform For Effective Service Delivery” said that the aim of the stakeholders’ meeting was to provide a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on topical communication issues as it affects the interest of consumers, adding “to address this concern, the Commission decided to host this consumer forum today at Aba to deliberate and proffer solution on ways of improving the accessibility of the service providers’ customer-care help lines by the consumers.”

    Atoyobi, blaming network operators of self-centered said “The industry growth shows that there is incredible emphasis by the service providers to connect new consumers because of the available untapped markets in the country. However, the same level of emphasis not seen in the provision of after sales support to existing consumers” and further alleged “Report from survey conducted by the Commission on the accessibility of Service Providers Customer Care help lines and complaints received from Consumers via NCC Call center and Consumer Outreach Programmes revealed that the Service Providers’ Customer Care help lines that we expected to be the first call for a Consumer in distress are either not easily accessible or not dysfunctional.”

    NCC deputy director stressing the need for more rural service center outreach lamented “Even in situations where the help lines are accessible, the waiting time for a consumer who opted to speak to a live agent remained unending and most often results into drop call and more worrisome are the difficulties experienced by the rural consumers who reside in remote locations where there are no provisions for walk-in customer contact centres by the service providers. This is not acceptable to the Commission and has to be addressed with a great sense of urgency.”

    Various service providers’ representatives who spoke in turns at the event explained how they have been able to tackle some of the problems raised by consumers and assured of improved and quality services for their customers not only in Aba, but the country as a whole.

  • Anambra partners traders on revenue collection

    To stimulate trade and commerce in Anambra State, the state Commissioner for Trade and Commerce,  Mr Ifeatu C Onejeme, has held a meeting with  leaders of the various market associations in the state to seek their support in the drive to “extend the frontiers of excellence” in the state.

    Onejeme met with executives of  AMATAS, including its President,  Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo; Vice President,  Chief Dozie Akudolu as well as the chairmen and secretaries-general of the major market associations in the state to get their support on how to achieve the four-point agenda of the administration.

    Presenting his economic agenda to the citizens shortly after his swearing in on March 17, this year, Governor   Wiillie Obiano, listed the four pillars of his administration to include, agriculture, trade  and commerce, industrialisation and oil and gas.

    Chairman/Chief Executive of the state Board of Internal Revenue, Sir Okey Mokah, cleared all grey areas  agitating the minds of the traders and market associations.

    The executives of the market associations pledged their support and readiness to work with the government to achieve its objectives.

    They agreed that outstanding market stallage fees, levies and traders tax for 2012, 2013 and this year would be paid considering that the Obiano administration would no longer tolerate delays in the payment of  revenues due to the government and would close any market that fails to collect and remit  revenues, levies and taxes promptly.

    The traders agreed to set up a joint Revenue Collection Task Force with the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to collect arrears of stallage fees, levies and traders taxes for 2012, 2013 and this year.

    On sanitation and environmental cleanliness, it was agreed that the leaders must ensure that their members maintain cleanliness in all markets in the state as the present administration  will not hesitate to shut any market that fails to meet acceptable  sanitation standards.

    The commissioner assured that the Obiano administration would fast-track the modernisation of the markets and construct  new ones to demonstrate its commitment to encourage the traders.

    He said: “Government has resolved to improve and modernise existing markets, especially the state-owned markets through the provision of boreholes, conveniences, fire-fighting facilities and other specific facilities required by the markets.”

    In addition, the traders said the government  planned to partner with the private sector to build ultra -modern hyper-markets and malls to further drive the government’s initiatives to expand state’s capacity for trade and commerce activities.

    The traders were also informed that the government’s determination to stop street trading and eliminate  street markets. The government added that Williams Street, Bright Street, Sokoto Street and New Market Road Street markets in Onitsha would be relocatedwhile Williams Street traders should move to their markets.

    Chief Ezenwankwo pledged his association’s commitment to work with the government, assuring that AMATAS would facilitate the movement of street traders to the shops built for them.

    The meeting also discussed modalities for working with commercial banks, the office of the Attorney- General, the Lands Registry and the government-owned market associations to develop a government-managed shop title documents’ registry that would record and manage all transactions involving transfer of title, mortgages and pledges over shops in the market.

  • Drivers, traders pledge support for Fayemi’s re-election

    Drivers, traders pledge support for Fayemi’s re-election

    The ranks of those who have pledged their support for the re-election of Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi swelled yesterday, with members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Ekiti State Youth Traders Development Association joining the train in Ado-Ekiti.

    During a visit to motor parks in Ado-Ekiti by the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, drivers urged the governor to discountenance the claim by opposition candidates that they were supporting them.

    According to the State Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Adebayo Adeyeye (also known as Oju-Igo), members of his union were not allowed to ply the Akure route during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.

    He said: “I was one of those who fought to change that and because of that, the PDP administration declared me wanted. When the APC government, led by Dr. Fayemi, came on board, that changed. He settled the rift and told members of the two unions in plain terms that we could only make meaningful progress when there is peace.

    “RTEAN members now ply all routes and there has not been crisis between the two unions since Fayemi became governor.”

    The RTEAN chairman also praised the governor for the construction of roads.

    “There was a time we would take our vehicles for repairs at least once in a week. We no longer spend our profit on repairs because the Fayemi administration has fixed all roads leading into Ekiti State. Both inter and intra-city roads have also been put in shape.

    “We have neither gold nor silver to give the governor. The only thing we have is our votes. Our members are registered voters and have obtained their permanent voter’s card. Those in the opposition lying about drivers’ support will be shocked on June 21 when we re-elect Dr. Kayode Fayemi.”

    The General Manager, NURTW, Akure/Ilawe/Benin/Port-Harcourt Chapter, Mr. Toyin Jimoh, said drivers were impressed Fayemi’s performance and have decided to re-elect him.

    “The governor should continue with his good work and not pay attention to jesters claiming that drivers are supporting them. By June 22 when Dr. Fayemi is declared re-elected, they would wake up from their daydream,” said Jimoh.

    The Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi Camapaign Organisation, Bimbo Daramola, said: “As stakeholders, we will bear the brunt most if Ekiti does not continue to move forward as we have been doing in the last three and a half years. Those outsiders beating the drums of war in collaboration with fifth columnists will not be here.”

    The campaign team also had a meeting with members of the Ekiti State Youth Traders Development Association at the Erekesan market in Ado-Ekiti.

    Daramola said Ekiti people must not allow anyone to take them for a ride again.

  • Traders endorse Orji for Senate

    Traders endorse Orji for Senate

    Traders in Abia State have endorsed the governor, Chief Theodore Orji, for the Senate seat of Abia Central Senatorial zone and urged other intending contestants in the state to shelve their ambition for another period.

    The traders, who came in their numbers to Government House in Umuahia and were received by the governor, said that the governor has done well and deserve to go to the Senate to represent the interest of the people of his area.

    Speaking during the endorsement, the president of Abia State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association [ASMATA], Christian Nwaubani, said that the record of the governor speaks volume and therefore deserves

    all the support he could get to get to the Senate.

    Nwaubani enumerated the achievements of the governor for the traders to include building of new markets and rehabilitation of the existing ones, adding that no one can forget the wonderful way he tackled the security challenges in the state.

    He thanked the governor for reducing taxes for traders in all markets from N6000 to N3600 per annum.

    “This wonderful gesture from you will allow traders the opportunity do better and we assure you that we are going to pay all the approved taxes without any delay”.

    Receiving the traders, Governor Orji challenged them to invest in him and his party, the PDP, saying that from the much he has been able to do for the traders and the state that it shows that his party and him are their best bet to invest in.

    Orji, who was overwhelmed by the mammoth crowd, said that it is not easy for traders to appreciate anyone  and, “For traders in the state to appreciate me and endorse me shows that I have done well and I assure you people of the state that I will keep doing well till I leave office”.

    He said further : “What I am doing for traders in the state is what I would have done for my dear mother who was a big time trader, but unfortunately she is not alive for me to appreciate her.

    “Therefore what I am doing to both female and male traders in the state is what I should have done for her as they are now my mothers and fathers”.

    The governor said that he had built three new markets in the state capital to give the traders the opportunity to express themselves, stressing that two new markets are coming up in Aba, the commercial city of the state.

    Orji used the occasion to charge the traders in Aba and its environs to ignore the rumour making the rounds that the state government wants to demolish markets in that city, saying that instead of demolishing that he is busy building more because of the commercial nature of the city.

    He said that the greatest legacy he will be leaving for residents of the state is security of life and property through stopping of kidnappings and other violent crimes in the state, saying “My intention is to combat crimes until it is totally wiped out from our state”.

  • Traders get free dental care

    Traders get free dental care

    TRADER and their customers have got free dental care from students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

    The dental students were at the New Benin Market last Saturday to treat the traders and their customers under the free dental campaign of the Committee on Dental Education and Health (CODEH).

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the market, dental students were conducting several screenings on the traders, including blood pressure, body mass index analysis, halitosis and oral check-up.

    President of the association, Samuel Ajagba, said the programme was part of the dental campaign of the association, saying it aimed at offering oral education to people.

    “Many Nigerians hardly present themselves for dental check-upthese days. This is a challenge we intend to tackle through this programme.That is why we decided to bring the campaign to the door steps of traders in Benin City,” he said.

    Beneficiaries were taught how to take care of their oral cavity. Free toothpastes were distributed during the programme.Dental surgeons were also on ground to offer free counselling.

    Meanwhile, people that had acute oral diseases were given referral letters to the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), in Ugbowo for proper medical attention.

    Highpoint of the event was the presentation of customized ward coats to students who arrived early for the outreach. “The medical profession requires people who keep to time. You have to inculcate the habit of arriving early for programmes because it would help you succeed when you graduate,” Samuel said.

    A primary two pupil of Iyobosa Primary School, Esther Omoruyi, thanked the students for the gesture. She promised to teach her friends in school how to manage their oral health.

    “It would be better if dental clubs are established in schools so that children would be taught dental tips which they could pass on to their family members,” she said.

    A 100-Level student of Dentistry and Dental Surgery, Igbinoba Nelson, said the outreach provided him an opportunity to learn basic oral diagnosis techniques. He encouraged the market women to regularly visit a dentist regularly.

     

  • Traders, artisans, others still averse to insurance

    SOME Nigerians’ attitude to insurance seems not to be changing.

    Some traders, artisans and organisations that spoke with The Nation said they do not understand what benefit taking an insurance policy will provide for them.

    A motor spare parts retailer, Benjamin Oladele, said he had no cover on his wares because it is a waste of money to buy insurance.

    He said: “Why would I buy insurance when they find it difficult to pay claims as at when due. They bring minor excuses to cover up and at the end, they all go free. I don’t think I want to risk that.”

    A banker, Mrs. Adeboyega, said initially, she had a comprehensive insurance cover on her car but did not renew it after paying premium several times and receiving nothing in return.

    Another businessman on Lagos Islandwho identified himself simply as Emeka, said he believes insurance is just a trick deplored to collect money from people.

    In spite of the negative opinions held by Emeka and others about insurance, some people still see insurance as a blessing.

    Mr. Goodness Johnson, who owns a furniture store, said insurance has been a blessing to him as he has benefitted from it.

    He urged Nigerians to embrace insurance through taking covers. “Insurance is no threat to us. It was established to serve us. It brings relief when something unexpected occurs. I can proudly tell anyone that all my properties are insured,” he said.

    Oladimeji Babalola, an accountant, said Nigerians should see insurance as a priority.

    The industry has made things easier by organising micro-insurance for the low-income earners, he said.

    Mrs. Funmi Aderibigbe, a business woman, added that insurance has made positive impact in developed countries and Nigeria should not be an exception.

    She said: ”I have life insurance and other policies and I do not see why people should still claim ignorance of insurance. The insurance companies that I have had encounter with have improved over the years and so is the industry generally. It is no longer difficult to have access to genuine insurance. With a click on your mobile phone, you can easily get insured.”

  • Ogbe-Ijoh traders count their losses after market fire

    Ogbe-Ijoh traders count their losses after market fire

    The Ogbe-Ijoh Market in Warri metropolis of Delta State has over the years become as famous for incessant fire as for the volume and quality of fresh fish, periwinkle and food stuff sold by local traders in there.

    Niger Delta Report checks revealed that the popular market, located on the fringe of the Warri River has been gutted by fire at least five times in the past four years.

    Traders and shop-owners who invested in GSM telephones do so not just to make calls to loved ones and friends, but to monitor activities in the market when they retire home every night.

    Those who made the investment in GSM telephone set saw the benefit again on Saturday night when they got the most dreaded call, once again that ‘Ogbe-Ijoh Market is on fire’.

    Unfortunately for some, the ownership of telephone did not prevent their shops from being razed because, although they got the alert that the market was on fire, when they arrived the scene, there was nothing left to savage.

    Mrs. Roseline Hitler was one of those who arrived the scene shortly after the fire broke out, but like dozens of ill-fated traders, her effort to rescue her ware of smoked fish and other items was too little and too late.

    “I lost goods worth over N400,000 today,” she told reporters amidst sobs.

    Another trader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was heavily indebted from the lost she suffered in the last fire incident. “I am only beginning to pay off the loans I took from my cooperative to start my life again when this fire started again.”

    Eyewitness’ accounts of the incident revealed that the fire started from a section of the market which comprised of makeshift stalls and brick shops. The area was one of those that was destroyed when a similar fire swept through the market in 2008.

    However, it was gathered that the swift response of fire fighters from the nearby Zonal Office of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), halted the growing spread of the fire to adjourning stalls, shops and houses located close to the market.

    Although the cause of this latest fire was yet unknown at the time of this report, aggrieved traders and leaders of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom are alleging foul play.

    The Chairman of Ogbe-Ijoh Governing Council, Hon. Lucky Clement Oromoni said the incessant fire incidents at the market was cause of concern, not only for traders but for the community leaders.

    He hinted of conspiracy and arson by “people envious of the popularity of the market”, adding that the market’s identity, Ogbe-Ijoh Market is envied by some other groups. The envy, he posited was a cause for suspicion that the market was torched.

    Speaking in the same vein, Chairperson of the market, Madam Queen Ajemitolu, invited the state government to set up a committee to carry out holistic investigation to unravel the incessant fire outbreaks in Warri markets.

    However, experiences over the past years also suggested that such fires are the handiwork of hoodlums and arsonists who hide under the guise of helping to put off the fire to loot shops.

    Traders in the market where household items, building materials, fish, cloth and clothes, shoes and other sundry items are sold are believed to have lost goods worth millions of naira to the latest inferno.

    Mrs. Ajemitolu equally called on government to assist the embattled traders, saying experiences of the past when government officials “would just come and go without doing anything for us” was not acceptable

    She asked for soft loans so that the market women could get back to business while appealing for security to be reinforced around the market to deter hoodlums who are prime suspects in the incessant fire outbreaks.

    For his part, Comrade Austin Ozobo of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative advised the state government to expedite action on the completion of the Ogbe-Ijoh market.

    He also called for a thorough overhaul of the fire service in Warri and its environs to enable it tackle fire outbreak and attendant loss of property and means of livelihood.

     

  • Traders protest developer’s N5m demand

    The Association of Wuye Ultra-modern Market Allotttees have protested the demand of N5 million by a private developer All Purpose Shelters Limited.

    Members of the association took to the streets of Utako District of the Federal Capital Territory carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Wuye Market allottees say no to ejection,” “11 years after ejection, handover our shops,” “Rich Nigerians are terrorising our lives,” and “Mama CJN, save our souls, let justice prevail,” among others.

    According to the solicitor to the association, Barrister Sepribo Peters, the developer’s request for N5 million from the shop owners is no longer a compensation but exploitation.

    He alleged that despite the court order issued by Justice O.A. Musa asking the parties to maintain the status quo ante, the All Purpose Shelter Market has planned to re-open the market.

    The solicitor noted that the association embarked on the peaceful protest to urge government to prevail on the developer to put on hold any plan to re-open the market.

    He said alternatively government should prevail on All Purpose Shelters Limited to hand over the shops to the owners.

    His words: “These poor unfortunate market people that had their shops burnt are now requested to pay N5 million. How come that the compensation is now N5 million? It is no longer compensation but exploitation.

    “So, that is why we went to court and the court said everybody should maintain the status quo ante, meaning everybody should stay where he is, nobody should open the market.

    “But now All Purpose Shelters said they are going to re-open the market. If we don’t make this peaceful protest against the planned re-opening of the market, there will be trouble. So, to that extent, we are saying government should intervene for them to obey the court order or they should hand over the shops to us.”

    Speaking with journalists, one of the members, Mr. Obiefule Luke recalled that they were occupants of the burnt New Market in 2001. The minister promised to compensate the shop owners with shops in Garki, Mabuchi and Wuye.

    According to him, the shop owners paid N2, 000, N5, 000, and N8, 000 respectively for the three different categories of shops. Till date, he said, they are yet to get their shops.

    He noted that a private developer -All Purpose Shelters Limited-that was unknown to them came up with a request for N3 million, N3.5 million and N5 million for the same shops they had already paid for.

    But despite an order of Justice O.A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Apo Abuja asking the parties to maintain the status quo ante, the shop owners alleged that the developer has perfected plans to sell the shops to different owners this month.

    Meanwhile, the solicitor to the association noted that the demand of N5 million from the victims of the fire incident is no longer a compensation but exploitation.