Group asks LASG to regulate policy on street trading

Bimbo Babatunde

A research group from the University of Lagos Akoka, Yaba on Friday called on the Lagos State Government (LASG) to regulate policy on street trading.

They made the call at a one-day workshop and presentation of findings on socio-economic factors influencing coping mechanisms of street trading in Lagos.

The coordinator of the group, Dr Adebowale Ayobade, urged the Lagos State government to review its policy and adopt the sociological approach in solving the problems of street trading.

She said: “Whatever is worth doing should be done very well that is why we are suggesting the policy on street trading must be reviewed.

“If the policy is looking for the total eradication of street trading, the policy is not going to be a policy but a joke.

“Regulation has to do with when what time and where and when the street traders will be given the opportunity to do their trading activities.

“Don’t forget that street traders also contribute to the economic growth and increase the internally generated revenue of the state.”

Also speaking, the Corp Marshall of Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps, (LAGESC) Mrs Gbemisola Akinpelu, commended the findings put together by research teams from the faculty of social science, university of Lagos.

Akinpelu, said the findings would enlighten them more on in-depth review of possible and permanent solutions as well as to enhance robust management decisions on the best approach to tackle the menace of street trading or Hawking on the road.

According to the Corp Marshall, Lagos state with a population of over 20 million with a high influx of people of all tribes is faced with perennial problems of trading activities on walkways, road verges, medians, setbacks, pedestrian Bridges and even on main roads.

However, she said the menace affects the free of human and vehicular movement and thereby out intense pressure on the state of environmental sanitation in the state.

“It is pertinent to note that the agency has been up and doing at ensuring that sanity prevails in the areas where street trading and Hawking has become daily features in Lagos.

“Despite our efforts through stakeholders’ meetings advocacy and sensitisation, voluntary compliance has been extremely difficult due to our traditional ways.

“Taking goods to the roadside despite the designated marketplaces while our enforcement protocols have also resulted in arrest and prosecution of recalcitrant traders through court,” she said.

The Iyaloja of Lagos, Chief Mrs Folshade Tinubu appealed to Lagos State traders to be law-abiding and obey the policies of the government.

The Iyaloja represented by Mrs Abimbola Jinodu, said that she has introduced a Mortgage system to assist traders to be able to afford shops of their own and planning to build cheaper shops at a cheaper rate.

“We need to, first of all, add value to ourselves to know what to do and what not out to do because either age or gender is not a barrier from being arrested.

“Traders should understand that the risk in street trading doesn’t worth the life of a trader, we are going to sensitise street traders to know that is not commensurate with their lives.

“We have the plan to introduce a mortgage system to accommodate traders to be able to afford shop and also putting up cheaper shops for them,” she said.