Oyo state government has restated its commitment to ban all forms of trading on the streets of and major markets in the state.
This was made known by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs Funmilayo Orisadeyi, while speaking with newsmen after a tour and inspection of the Ajumose International Market, Ogunpa, in Ibadan North West Local Government Area of the state.
Mrs Orisadeyi sadly expressed her dissatisfaction at the poor state of the Ogunpa market and how traders display their wares on the road without giving attention to their safety or easy movement of vehicles within the market.
The Commissioner however appealed to the street traders at Ogunpa to make use of their shops, as law enforcement agents would be dispatched to enforce compliance with the order to vacate the roads.
“The enforcement is to ensure the safety and security of our people and make life easier for them with this market that has the state-of-the-art facilities like other modern markets.”
“We therefore appeal to all traders, not only in Ogunpa market but all across Oyo State, to vacate the road sides and put up their wares in a more conducive business area and shops designated and provided by government,” the Commissioner said.
Some of the facilities available in the market include a clinic, standby generator, restrooms, warehouse, fire station, police post and parking lots, to mention but a few.
The market is set up in four phases with a total of 544 stores and 314 open stores, and only about half of the stores have been occupied.
- The traders using the rented shops at the market complained that the activities of the street traders have caused them low patronage and called on the government to do something to stop the menace.
