OCTOBER 30, 2021

A research Group from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba on Friday called on the Lagos State Government to review and implement policy on street trading in the state. Outright ban on street trading is bad, the group said.

The group made the call at a one-day workshop and presentation of findings on socio-economic factor influencing coping mechanism of street trading in Lagos.

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

“Whatever is worth doing is worth doing well and that is why we are making suggestion that the policy on street trading must be reviewed.

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

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

“Recall that street traders also contributed to the economic growth and increase the internally generated revenue of the state,” she said

Dr Ayobade called on other state to emulate Lagos and create an enabling business environment to enable it to thrive and reduce high traders’ migration into Lagos.

Also speaking, the Corps 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 to enhance robust management decision on the best approach to tackle the menace of street trading or hawking on the road.

According to the Corp Marshall, 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 movement of human and vehicular traffic and thereby put 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 prevail in the areas where street trading and hawking have become daily features in Lagos.

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

“Taking goods to the road side in spite the designated market places 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 government.

The Iyaloja, represented by Mrs Abimbola Jinodu, said that she had introduced mortgage system to assist traders to be able to afford shop of their own and was also planning to build cheaper shops at cheaper rate.

“We need to first of all add value to ourselves to know what to do and what not 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 it is not commensurate with their lives.

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