A Non-Governmental Organization, (NGO), Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) has called on Lagos State Government to urgently consider reopening of all markets presently sealed across the State so as to alleviate the anguish of traders and Lagos residents
Instead, the government should consider deploying intelligence mechanisms for crime prevention by strengthening the police to arrest and prosecute offenders.
Comrade Alex Omotehinse, President of CHSR made the call in a statement issued to journalists on Friday, October 6, 2023 during a Press Briefing at the Liberation Centre, Lagos State, following the ban on street trading/hawking and closure of markets by the Lagos State Government in recent times.
The statement reads, “This press briefing has become imperative in the light of recent decision by the Lagos State Government to impose total ban on street trading and hawking. It should be instructive that the ban on street trading by the government also coincided with the closure of some strategic markets. We consider this intervention appropriate in furtherance of our mandate to defend victims of abuse of human rights and to promote the cause of justice and peaceful coexistence in the society.
“We are therefore compelled, as one of the strategic platform of civil society stakeholders in Lagos State address the media regarding the concerns of the masses who are either affected directly or indirectly by the directive. Our concern borders on the need to engage policies and programs of government as a way of guaranteeing the socio-economic rights so as ensure individual and corporate fulfilment for peace and stability in the society.
“On Friday 29th of September the Lagos state government announced a total ban on street trading, hawking, building of illegal structures on drainage and display of wares on walkways across the state. In a statement credited to the Commissioner of Environment and Water resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the measure is to curtail the nefarious activities of criminals who disguise as hawkers to rob motorist and also disrupt the free flow of traffic.
“The latest ban on street trading by the Lagos State Government however raises more questions than answers as no alternative means of livelihoods have been considered by the government to support overwhelming majority of the masses who engage in menial trading and hawking activities for daily survival.
“We are concerned about the implementation of the directive without the necessary engagement with stakeholders either at the local government or community/grassroots level. Sometimes in 2011, the government of Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola established the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) with the mandate to enforce compliance with environmental laws. While the objective was laudable, the agency however degenerated into platform for indiscriminate arrest of innocent citizens some of whom were imprisoned without due process.
“CDHR Lagos branch waded into the matter and secured the release of some of the victims. The excuse then as the case with the present ban is that some elements are hiding under the pretext of street trading and hawking to perpetrate robbery and other nefarious activities in the traffic.
Omotehinse who called for deployment of advocacy and sensitization mechanism to address challenges rather than banning and closure of markets also said it is necessary to “review the PSP policy to ensure that traders and marketers are not unduly exploited by developers and the allies in government.
“The government of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, should reconsider unleashing harsh measures that aggravate poverty and in the alternative empowerment of the less privileged in the society.
“Government should allow democratic management of markets and traders’ association through elected representatives for effective service delivery rather than hand-picked lackeys who have so far demonstrated incompetence in ensuring effective sanitation and waste handlings at the markets.
“Government should put an end to extortion of traders and marketers by security agents as well as personnel of law enforcement agencies in Lagos State.
Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) is a public good oriented nongovernmental organization (NGO) registered as a corporate body to defend, sustain and promote the fundamental human and socio-economic rights of citizens and residents in any part of Nigeria as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
By Ajibola Adedoye