The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Vendors

  • Anambra Govt agents at war with vendors, destroy newspapers

    Anambra Govt agents at war with vendors, destroy newspapers

    Tension yesterday heightened in Anambra State following the destruction of newspapers and beating of vendors by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s aides.

    They boasted that they could care less whether the matter was reported to God, insisting that the state government did not want any newspaper sold again on the streets.

    The heaps of papers destroyed were The Nation, The Sun, Vanguard, Punch, Guardian among others. 

    They, along with some security agents, also béat up everybody at the popular Aroma junction, and destroyed the PoS machines of the vendors too.

    The action of men of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, made passersby and petty traders in the area, to rein curses on them.

    The development forced the vendors to vow not to sell newspapers again until Soludo and his agents changed.

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    The tables of the vendors were equally destroyed while their umbrellas were seized by the agents of the government.

    Last week, such inhuman treatment by Soludo’s aides attracted the attention of the state lawmakers, who advocated for a mini market to be set up for those affected.

    According to the lawmakers, such was to control the menace of street trading and associated effects on the state capital.

    The sponsor of the motion was  Hon Henry Mbachu, the member representing Awka South 1 Constituency.

    While making his submission during plenary, Mbachu said poverty rate was on the increase, adding that creating avenues for people to earn a living had become mandatory.

    “There are many quarters within Awka metropolis which create the need to establish local mini-markets to serve the people living within those areas.

    “It is nearly impossible to secure a shop within the already established markets and the limited shops available are in high and exorbitant price to rent.

    “The creation of mini-markets within Awka metropolis will be a solution to the menace of shanties, street trading and serve as a means of encouraging micro businesses thereby achieving the goals of making Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland,” the lawmaker said.

    Soludo’s Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, told The Nation, that he was not aware of the situation, but promised to reach out to the MD of the agency.

    Aburime maintained that keeping Anambra clean was for everyone, adding that even in Lagos, newspaper vendors  were allowed to exist at their différent designated areas.

    The Nation overheard one of the ACTDA officials saying, “our Governor is behind what we are doing. If they like, let them report to Tinubu, nothing will happen.”

    The destruction had not been against the vendors alone, but to every petty trader along all the streets in Anambra State as part of government’s ‘keep Anambra clean project’

  • Sallah ram: Vendors lament low patronage

    The state of the economy is taking its toll ahead of the coming Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. Buyers and sellers of ram appear to be staying off the stakes, leaving the impression that this year’s sallah festival may be dull after all, reports TONIA ‘DIYAN

    For Muslims around the world, again it’s that time of the year they celebrate one of their religious festivals Eid el Kabir, one which requires the killing of rams as sacrifice to Allah.

    The significance of the Sallah rams to Muslims cannot be over emphasised. It remains a core tenet of the Islamic faith. So important is the slaughtering of ram at sallah, that it permeates the rich and the poor.

    But going by the prevailing economic crunch in the country, The Nation Shopping’s findings has revealed that many Muslim faithfuls may not be able to afford rams this year. Although there was a similar development last year, this year’s seem to have been further deepened, especially with the outrageous exchange rate that has persisted through the year.

    This time around, late buyers wouldn’t have to end up with the smallest sizes of ram because the big ones wouldn’t be sold before they get here; there is no best time to buy.

    Leaders across various ram markets visited by The Nation Shopping have blamed this development on a further decline in the economy, devaluation of the naira, poor circulation of money in the country, terrorism in the northern part of the country from where rams are brought to major ram markets within the Lagos metropolis, among others, for the problem.

    They lament that the business is now a sharp contrast to what it used to be- blossoming especially at one week to the festival.

    “We used to be very optimistic that sales would improve weekly and daily as the festival approaches. But the reverse is the case as people are not turning up at all. The cheapest ram we sell here is N60, 000. We have some for N85, 000 and N160, 000 depending on their sizes,” a ram vendor in the Kara market, along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Hameed Abu, said.

    Another ram trader in Mile 12 market, Mohammed Yusuf, explained that lack of liquidity (cash flow) in the economy is the reason for the low patronage being experienced. The same reason, he further revealed, account for why he only brought few rams to the market for sale.

    At the Alaba Rago market in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, the head Alhaji Suleiman Tanko, corroborated the submission of others in previous market visited.

    “In spite of the increment in the price of ram in the last five years, Muslims in Ojo are managing to buy because they are know the significance of the sacrifice; the unfavourable economy has always been a barrier even to some muslims who have saved towards the celebration,” he said.

  • Benue recruits 3,344 vendors for school feeding

    The Benue State government has recruited about 3,344 vendors for its Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

    Governor Samuel Ortom stated this yesterday at launch of the programme at the LGEA Primary School in Wurukum.

    The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Benson Abounu, lauded President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for partnering the state.

    He noted that the programme, targeted to benefit 5.5 million pupils across the country, will increase enrolment in public schools, improve their learning and health status.

    According to him, N360 million will be disbursed to the cooks in the first phase of implementation, a situation which will create a multiplier effect. He added that the government had procured utensils and trained the women in preparation for the take-off of the programme.

    Abounu urged the women to make judicious use of the opportunity given them for the success of the programme.

  • Oyo govt urges schools food vendors to resume work

    The Oyo State government has appealed to striking food vendors engaged for Federal Government’s primary school feeding programme in the state to resume work.

    It said government will clear all the outstanding arrears this week.

    There are about 1,000 food vendors across the state cooking for primary schools.

    They have withdrawn their services as the Federal Government failed to pay over three weeks’ arrears owed them.

    Commissioner for Education, Prof Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela, who spoke with The Nation yesterday on the development.

    The commissioner assured the food vendors of government’s commitment to the programme.

    He blamed the non-payment on logistics problem.

    Olowofela said: “I can assure you that their accounts will be credited before tomorrow. The state government, immediately the matter was brought to its notice, held a meeting with the food vendors after consulting Federal Government’s officials in charge of the programme and we have gotten the assurance that their accounts will be credited anytime from now.”

    The food vendors in the 33 local government areas have stopped giving meals to primary school pupils in the past four weeks.

    They said they have been using their personal funds to provide meals for the pupils.

    In a show of appreciation, scores of the food vendors yesterday converged on the governor’s office, Secretariat Complex, Ibadan, to thank the state governor Abiola Ajimobi for his quick intervention in the matter.

    One of the food vendors from Oyo town, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have been using our money to feed the children in the past four weeks without pay. Now that we don’t have any money to continue feeding the pupils, we have to stop cooking because there is no money to buy food items anymore.”

  • Court dismisses drug vendors’ case against PCN

    The Federal High Court, Akure, has dismissed the suit  by the Nigeria Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) against the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), saying it lacks merit.

    Delivering judgment in Akure, the Ondo State capital in the suit no: FHC/AK/CS/01/2004, which sought to stop the PCN from regulating members of NAPPMED, Justice F. A. Olubanjo refused to grant the NAPPMED’s prayers.

    Justice Olubanjo said: “I find no merit in this amended originating summons and the reliefs sought therein are refused. The amended originating summons filed on 11/03/15 is dismissed.”

    Relying on an earlier ruling of 1996 by Justice Ibrahim Auta in suit no: FHC/L/CS/28/95, the plaintiffs sought perpetual injunction that, restraining the defendants from further issuing or reverting the authority to issue the PPMVL in the absence of an amendment to the enabling laws, an injunction that, if not given, the plaintiffs said, would affect the rights of the patent and proprietary medicine vendors as well as their source of livelihood.

    The court observed that the Pharmacy Act on which  suit no: FHC/L/CS/28/95 was predicated had been repealed since 1992 by the PCN Act and as such the decision of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on it had been overtaken by events.

    The court further held that the PCN Act 1992 empowers the second Defendant (PCN) to regulate the affairs and functions of pharmacy  and matters related to the pharmacists, profession.

    “The Federal Minister of Health has the power to make regulations under section 53 of the Pharmacy Act, and has appointed the PCN as the Licensing Authority to issue Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Licence in Nigeria, vide a letter dated April 14, 2003.’’

    Justice Olubanjo affirmed that by section 36 of the Poisons and Pharmacy Act Cap 535 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, the Minister of Health has the power to prescribe the second Defendant (PCN) as the licensing authority for the issuance of PPMVL.

    “Thus the 2nd Defendant (PCN) is competent to issue and publish guidelines for obtaining the Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License”, the judge ruled.

    The plaintiffs, NAPPMED and Otunba F. E. Olatunji, sued the Minister of Health, PCN and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), seeking to stop the PCN from publishing any guideline, rule or condition on the procedure for obtaining the Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License (PPMVL) as contained in the publication of The Punch of December 31, 2003.

    The judge observed that the plaintiffs have only succeeded in wasting the court’s time, hoping that they would desist from filing multiple actions on the matter.

    With its ruling, the judge laid to rest the issue of who regulates patent and proprietary medicine vendors which the NAPPMED   contested at the Federal High Courts in Kaduna, Ibadan, Benin and Asaba against the PCN.

  • Court dismisses drug vendors’ case against Pcn

    The Federal High Court, Akure, has dismissed the suit  by the Nigeria Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) against the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), saying it lacks merit.

    Delivering judgment in Akure, the Ondo State capital in the suit no: FHC/AK/CS/01/2004, which sought to stop the PCN from regulating members of NAPPMED, Justice F. A. Olubanjo refused to grant the NAPPMED’s prayers.

    Justice Olubanjo said: “I find no merit in this amended originating summons and the reliefs sought therein are refused. The amended originating summons filed on 11/03/15 is dismissed.”

    Relying on an earlier ruling of 1996 by Justice Ibrahim Auta in suit no: FHC/L/CS/28/95, the plaintiffs sought perpetual injunction that, restraining the defendants from further issuing or reverting the authority to issue the PPMVL in the absence of an amendment to the enabling laws, an injunction that, if not given, the plaintiffs said, would affect the rights of the patent and proprietary medicine vendors as well as their source of livelihood.

    The court observed that the Pharmacy Act on which  suit no: FHC/L/CS/28/95 was predicated had been repealed since 1992 by the PCN Act and as such the decision of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on it had been overtaken by events.

    The court further held that the PCN Act 1992 empowers the second Defendant (PCN) to regulate the affairs and functions of pharmacy  and matters related to the pharmacists, profession.

    “The Federal Minister of Health has the power to make regulations under section 53 of the Pharmacy Act, and has appointed the PCN as the Licensing Authority to issue Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors Licence in Nigeria, vide a letter dated April 14, 2003.’’

    Justice Olubanjo affirmed that by section 36 of the Poisons and Pharmacy Act Cap 535 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, the Minister of Health has the power to prescribe the second Defendant (PCN) as the licensing authority for the issuance of PPMVL.

    “Thus the 2nd Defendant (PCN) is competent to issue and publish guidelines for obtaining the Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License”, the judge ruled.

    The plaintiffs, NAPPMED and Otunba F. E. Olatunji, sued the Minister of Health, PCN and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), seeking to stop the PCN from publishing any guideline, rule or condition on the procedure for obtaining the Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License (PPMVL) as contained in the publication of The Punch of December 31, 2003.

    The judge observed that the plaintiffs have only succeeded in wasting the court’s time, hoping that they would desist from filing multiple actions on the matter.

    With its ruling, the judge laid to rest the issue of who regulates patent and proprietary medicine vendors which the NAPPMED   contested at the Federal High Courts in Kaduna, Ibadan, Benin and Asaba against the PCN.

  • Flour Mills trains food vendors

    Flour Mills trains food vendors

    Pupils in 100 public primary schools in Lagos State will resume for the 2015/2016 academic session next week to improvements in the snacks and meals food vendors sell in their schools.

    The changes are courtesy of Flour Mills Nigeria Ltd, which has trained food vendors in schools. They are expected to apply same in providing mid-day meals for the pupils.

    Some of them were also given industrial gas cookers to help in their cooking.

    The firm also donated tuck shops to schools where its array of snacks that have been fortified with essential nutrients would be sold to encourage pupils to eat healthy rather than consuming snacks that are not nutricious.

    The snacks include Golden bites (a sachet of chin chin), noodies (ready-to-eat noodles snack), Kool to Go (a vitamin c drink), and noodles.

    During the training at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), Maryland, the Executive Secretary of the board, Mrs Abosede Adelaja, praised the company for remembering this category of workers in the school system,  urging the vendors not to take their roles in the smooth running of the school likely.

    “Today is a good day. I have heard of training for teachers, clerical officers and cleaners, but we have never heard anything like training for food vendors.  Food vendors, you play a very great role in our schools; you may not know.  If for instance you feed any child with poison, there would be disarray.  It may take up to one week for the school to settle down.

    “Your role is essential. You play a parental role to these children.  You must change the way you package your goods. When you cook, ask yourself if you can give what you are cooking to your own child. Let us do everything properly and with the fear of God,” she said.

    On the new quality assurance programme of the state government, the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, who was represented by Mrs Funmilayo Odupitan, said in the new session, food vendors would be assessed as part of the quality assurance process in schools.

    “From September, we will start by examining your appearance; we will assess you from head-to-toe – whether your head is covered; we want to check your health record; how neat the environment is and the quality of the food you are serving,” she said.

    Representative of Flour Mills, Mr Efosa Cliff-Ogingo, said the initiative was part of the firm’s efforts to promote children’s right to nutrition.

    “The major focus of Flour Mills is to ensure that the right of a child to adequate nutrition is guaranteed. To reduce health hazards to our children, it is good to discourage unhealthy snacks and replace them with healthy and well fortified snacks,” he said.

  • Food vendors:‘our ordeal during the ramadan fast’

    Food vendors:‘our ordeal during the ramadan fast’

    As Ramadan fast ends, the experiences of  food vendors over the last one  month has been bad. According to them, there haven’t been sales since  Ramadan fast began. Ramadan which is a blessed month for the Muslims to fast and get closer to their God, by abstaining from food, drinks and some other activities, happened to be of disadvantage to food vendors across the Lagos metropolis.

    For Mrs Merian Biodun who owns a restaurant at Makinde Bus stop in Ayobo area of Lagos, she doesn’t make sales whenever Muslims were fasting “I do not sell much when Ramadan is on. I prepare half of what I used to prepare on a normal day and when it was time to break their fast, some of them wouldn’t come around instead they prefered to go home to break their fast with their families “.

    Mrs Muniratu Olushola, another restaurant owner at Idera, in Ipaja said sales are always low during Ramadan. “It is not that we did not make sales at all, but if we used to have twenty people buying from us on a normal day, during fasting period,  we have less than twelve. And the painful thing is that, this would go on for a whole month. It was indeed a great loss to us. If I should prepare the amount of food I normally use to prepare more than half will waste”.

    For Madam Joy of God’s Glorious restaurant, her major patronage comes from Okada riders who are mainly Muslims and have their park in front of her restaurant.  “My main customers are Muslim okada riders and they eat a lot. But while they fast, I cook my food in small quantity so that it doesn’t waste. Some of them patronise me when they break their  fast in the evenings, but they bought little quantity of food”.

    The story is same with Mrs Fatimat Adebola. “Ramadan period is not always a profitable period for my business because most of my customers are Muslims just like i am. Sometimes I won’t bother  to open my restaurant at all for a day or two because after waking up very early in the morning to cook for my family, I would go back to bed.  Business was dull throughout the fast period and it is a major challenge we have always had  to cope with when the fasting period comes.” she said.