The Mile 12 Traders Association, has pleaded with the Lagos State Government to
upgrade the market instead of relocating it to Imota as announced days back.
if you missed.
According to Vanguard, the Secretary, Shukurah Yam Market, Mr Collins Obichukwu and
the Chairman, Provision and Electronics Section, Chief Sunday Ossai made the plea on
behalf of the traders at apress briefing in Lagos yesterday.
According to them, the traders were not consulted before the government made the decision
to relocate the market. However, it can be recalled that leaders of the Mile 12 market as
well as community leaders had held a meeting with the state government weeks back in
Alausa where they reportedly agreed that the market had outgrown its present location
infrastructure.
Obichukwu yesterday suggested that the government should develop the market into a
modern one with functional facilities like it did at Sura, Apongbon and Tejuosho markets with
minimum hardship to the traders.
He said the proposed relocation of the market would be at variance with their position
during the meeting held with the government when the market was shut.
He said that the traders had earlier agreed with the government that issues bordering on
relocation would be subjected to extensive consultation with the stake holders of the market.
According to Ossai the report, which claimed that the traders had agreed to the relocation
was false. He alleged that the traders were coerced by the state government to agree to
relocation as a condition before the market could be reopened after the bloody clash in the
area.
“We agreed under duress because the market had been closed for two weeks.
“We were hungry, our goods were rotting away and we were recording financial losses.
“If the government does not have ulterior motive of converting the market into an estate as
it is being speculated, they should develop the market with the necessary
infrastructure,” Ossai said.
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