Some of the protesting traders
Traders at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Central Market, Suleja Local Government Area of Niger, on Tuesday protested against alleged multiple levies and taxes by the council.
The traders are also protesting against expansion of some structures within the already congested market.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the traders carried placards that expressed their grievances with the council decision.
Mr Obilly Nwaeze, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the market, told newsmen during the protest in Suleja that the decisions would further compound the socio-economic challenges of the traders in the market.
“If there are plans to remodel the market or any form of expansion, the traders should be carried along. We are the first to be affected.
”But in this case, they are not telling us anything than asking us to pay different sums of money and marking our shops for demolition under flimsy excuses.
“The council asked us to pay N1.2 million each for a shop so that it can be raised to an upstairs and later, they reduced it to N800, 000. But they refused to tell us what the money is meant for.
“They also demanded that we pay another N10, 000 non-refundable fee for forms,” he said.
Nwaeze said that the local government could open more markets in new sites rather than turn existing shops built about 30 years ago into upstairs just because they wanted increased revenue.
”Such adjustments is just an invitation for disaster because the shops will start collapsing,” the PRO stated.
He further said that the traders severally asked for a discussion to resolve contending issues with the local government, but such requests were rebuffed with threats from the agents of the council.
The spokesperson called for the intervention of the state government and security agencies as some shop owners were being threatened by people alleged to be loyal to the council Chairman, Mr Bawa Naibi.
He also accused the local government of using different strategies to exploit the shop owners.
One of the traders, Hajiya Sadiya Bello, told journalists that it was regrettable that the council was not carrying shop owners along.
“We trade here on daily basis and yet we don’t know what the local government is doing. They are not sincere with us.
“If whatever adjustment they claimed to be doing is meant for the traders, why are the traders not being carried along.
‘Why are they not allowing us to make contributions to whatever they are doing,” she said.
Also, Mrs Rachael Adeniji, another shop owner, said it was unacceptable for the local government to be demanding monies from traders on a daily basis without telling them what the funds are used for.
”They do not even allow us to have input to whatever expansion is being plan,” she said.
Responding, Naibi who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Haruna Kaniko, blamed the face-off between the council and the traders as the handiwork of some mischief makers.
According to him, the mischief makers distort the facts to suit their purposes.
He also said he was not aware of the N1.2 million and other levies allegedly being demanded from each of the traders and shop owners for expansion purposes.
The local government chairman, however, said that the council embarked on demolition and adjustments in the market for safety purpose.
“We wanted the shops with perimeter fence along the link roads to be upgraded to upstairs,” he said.
Naibi said that there was no plan to open up new layouts for markets to ease congestion taking into consideration the topography of Suleja town.
“IBB market has 1, 280 shops capacity according to the original master plan but today not less than 7, 000 shops are there.
“I think there is lack of effective communication between the committee handling the market adjustments and the key stakeholders.
“I believed if there are wide consultations, what is happening now could have been avoided,” he added.
The chairman assured the traders that the issue would be resolved amicably. (NAN)
