KWSG orders traders off road setbacks, walkways
- Matthew Denis and Oyiza Ishaq
- Aug 9, 2015
- 2 min read
For the umpteenth time, Kwara State Government has directed traders selling goods and wares on the road setbacks and walkways across Ilorin metropolis to vacate the locations with a view to protect the city's aesthetics.
It added that the locations where the traders display their goods posed serious danger to their lives as well as their customers, saying that there is enough space at the refurbished Kulende Shopping Complex for interested traders to occupy at a cheaper rate.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Alhaji Jibril Haruna made the call in an interview with Pilot Business, last Thursday, stating that government is doing everything possible to ensure safety of lives and properties of the citizens.
He said, "The roads, setbacks and walkways are constructed for motorists and people to make use of and not the other way round. If these roads are congested and there is an accident, the same people will still blame the government for not providing sanity on the roads."
To ensure traders comply with the directive, Haruna said that government would continue to appeal to the affected traders and monitor their reactions on the directive before sanctioning them.
"The issue of enforcement in this democratic era still lies on peoples cooperation since we all voted for change and that change starts from our own attitudes", he added.
He appealed for people's cooperation, especially with government programmes and policies, noting that it is targeted at satisfying the citizens' needs.
Meanwhile, some of the roadside traders who spoke with Pilot Business on the development complained that the Kulende Shopping Mall location is far from their targeted customers.
They also complained that the cost of renting the provided shops was costly for them, insisting that there is no how they could afford it with the kind of goods they sell.
Tajudeen Akanbi who sells shoes and clothes around Post Office said, "They are asking us to move our goods to Kulende market which is located at Sango Area but that place is too far for me".
"My customers are used to this place and it will be very difficult for them to come and patronise me if I should relocate to Kulende".
Also, another roadside trader at Challenge Area, Mr. Tochuckwu Ekene said when they made enquiries; they discovered that the cost of renting the shops provided by the state government is too high for them.
On her part, Mrs. Ramata Ayedun who sells along Taiwo road corroborated other traders, claiming that the area is not conducive for their kind of business.
Comments