Mr. Oghene Emma-Ogoh, the representative of Amuwo/Odofin Federal Constituency of Lagos State has asked the state Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, on Sunday, July 5, 2015 to protect the interests of the traders in the current government remodeling of Ladipo Market.
He claimed that properties of traders have been lost to “breaking of market shops” by officials of the state government. He stated that the governor should have given the traders adequate notice to find alternative arrangements there by protecting the rights and interest of the traders.
He also said that renovating or remodeling a market was the government’s prerogative, they ought to have resettled the traders before proceeding with the remodeling.
According the PUNCH, Emma-Ogoh advised Governor Ambode to take a trip down history and borrow a leaf from Chief Lateef Jakande, a former governor of the state who before decentralising Jankara Market gave the traders adequate notice. He recalled that the traders were first moved to Amukoro and later on to Ojo by Chief Jakande.
The reason for his interest in Ladipo Market, even though it wasn’t within his constituency, according to him is the fact that a large number of hus constituents depended on the market for their daily bread.
Emma-Eboh said, “The Jakande government did a good thing by giving the people enough notice and resettling them. Therefore, I am appealing to the Lagos State Government to please emulate what Jakande did.
“Even if you want to renovate the market, resettle them (traders). That place has been earmarked as a market and the people are there. If the government wants to redevelop, it is not my position to say don’t redevelop.
“But the government should assist them to get an alternative place. The state should assist them to be on their feet because the traders are Lagosians and Lagos is what it is today because we have all these traders.
“For me, the traders are more like foreign investors
because if Ladipo Market were to move to a town in Ogun or Oyo states, it will create employment there. More people will be going there to buy things just as people are coming from all over the country and neighbouring countries to buy things in the Ladipo Market.
“These people are providing services; they pay taxes and they own property in Lagos. They pay tenement rates and whatever taxes accruing to Lagos State. These people are part of the state and add to the economic development of Lagos State.”
