Lagos—Traders from the demolished Owonifari electronic Market, Oshodi yesterday rejected the Lagos State Government’s plans to relocate them to Oshodi Resettlement Market (former Isopakodowo market), citing structural instability and several spiritual activities associated with the structure as their reason for the rejection.
Oshodi Resettlement Market
They added that the available space in the market cannot accommodate them.
Meantime, a fire outbreak occurred at the site of the demolition earlier in the day, stopping the traders from further salvaging any valuable left in the rubble. However, scavengers had a field day.
The refurbished Isopakowodowo Market, where the affected traders were asked to move to was commissioned by the former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, now Minister for Works, Power and Housing. It was commissioned two years ago on January 7, 2014.
When Vanguard visited the market yesterday, none of the market stalls had been opened for business since it was commissioned.
Inside the market, officials of the Lagos State Public Works Commissio, LSPWC were sighted rehabilitating the floor.
In an interview with Vanguard, a resident, Mr. Mustapha Adekunle said that the market had never been opened to commercial activities since the former governor commissioned it, saying; “You can see that the entire market is dusty. The government had abandoned the market to rodents.”
A security official, who chose to speak under condition of anonymity, in an interview, confirmed that the market had been under lock since it was commissioned.
His words “I cannot give you my name but all I can tell you is that the state government commenced the renovation works on the market on Wednesday morning after the demolition of Owonifari market. And as you can see, the officials of public works department are rehabilitating the floor.”
Meanwhile, a notice was pasted at the security post for displaced traders of Owonifari and other traders, on the procedures to apply for market stalls.
Relocation notice
The procedure reads: “This is to inform the general public/Owonifari electronic traders that all applicants of shops and Klee-Klamps at Isopakodowo electronic market (Oshodi Resettlement Market) should submit their registration forms with allocation letters, Lagos State Resident Registration Agency, LASRRA registration slip and two passport photographs.”
On the features of Isopakodowo, Vanguard gathered that there are 571 shops in the market; established by the previous administration and originally built to accommodate trader traders dislodged from the rail lines.
Sources said that the market has 64 Closed Circuit Television Camera, CCTV and 22 toilets. And it was expected to serve saw millers and electronic dealers in the state.
It was further gathered that the essence is to attract business to the area and change the face of Oshodi to the mega city standard. He emphasized that the modern market was fully funded by the state government and will be managed and maintained by a facility manager.
Why we shun relocation plans — traders
Mr. Rasaq Adeyemi, one of the affected traders, said the government did not allocate Isopakodowo market to anyone.
His words “No one is interested in the market because of the incident that happened two years ago when a part of the market sunk.
‘’Up till now, we have not heard anything from the state government. Do they want displaced traders of Owonifari to also suffer what happened two years ago. I doubt if the foundation is strong because if it is, that incident shouldn’t have occurred.”
Another trader, Mrs. Halimah Dosu, who had been trading in the demolished market for over 20 years, said she was not ready to go to the new market.
She stated that since it was commissioned, no trader had used it adding that she is scared to move there because of the incident that happened two years ago.
According to her, “People lost their lives. They had families just like we do. If such thing occurs when we move
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