The
Lagos State Government on Friday said that from July 1, 2016, it would commence
a total enforcement against street trading and street hawkers, saying that the
law banning their activities across the metropolis would take its full course.
Speaking
at a live interview session on Television Continental, the State Governor, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode said that the renewed enforcement is in line with Section One
of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which
restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
The
Governor, while sympathizing with the family of a street hawker who was knocked
down by an articulated truck while trying to evade arrest from officials of
Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) along Maryland Bus stop on Wednesday, regretted
that the situation led to the destruction of public assets.
“It
is not in our DNA to allow someone to just die by road accident or the way it
happened in respect of the incident. But beyond the fact that we lost one
person while crossing the road as a result of evading arrest by KAI officials,
I need to tell Lagosians that over 49 buses were actually destroyed and it is
costing us like almost N139 million to put those buses back on the road,” he
said.
Consequently,
Governor Ambode said the State Executive Council has resolved to enforce the
Law, which according to him makes both the hawker and the buyer liable of the
offence.
“The
issue is we need to enforce our laws because we already have a law in respect
of that and then there is a clause in it which says the buyer and the seller
are both liable and that we are going to fine them either N90, 000 or a six
month jail term.
“What
we are doing on traffic is that we are introducing new strategies to eliminate
traffic but Lagos being a cosmopolitan city, you cannot totally eliminate it
but now this is the case, in the next few days, you will see on the street of
Lagos signs that will be warning you that buyers and hawkers should be aware
that there are consequences,” Governor Ambode said.
He
said his administration has also concluded plans to roll out a massive campaign
which would warn both motorists and hawkers of the restrictions and the penalty
for defaulters.
“We
will be watching out for buyers and sellers and all we need is just scapegoat.
Don’t buy plantain chips or any other item in traffic from July 1, buyers
beware,” Governor Ambode warned.
He
said aside the environmental hazards associated with the activities of street
traders and hawkers alike, they also pose great security and health risks.
“A
whole lot of people who are hawkers, when you check them, I understand from
intelligence that there is a cartel. Some people buy fake products and then
bring the products in and then give these boys to sell on the street and come
back to make returns in the night. So, what I want to advise Lagosians is that
most times when you think you are buying something of quality on the road, be
rest assured that those things are fake product,” Governor Ambode said.
He
however said that much as the State Government intends to be civil in enforcing
the law, some recalcitrant persons try to subvert the process, hence the need
to ensure total compliance with the law.
Asked
what plans the Government has unemployed graduates who have taken to street
hawking, Governor Ambode said that his administration has launched a N25billion
Employment Trust Fund, urging them to access the fund.
Governor
Ambode while answering questions on future plans of his administration assured
that greater attention would be given to the health and education sectors,
while empowerment for the youth and elderly would also get the needed
attention.
“In
the last eight years, while the immediate past Governor actually did a lot to
improve on health, you will also see that what he provided is not even enough
to cater for all the people coming into Lagos.
“Now,
this second year, I can tell you freely that we are facing majorly the health
sector, education sector, the issue of elderly people and then the youths. We
believe that in the next twelve months which we are starting from now, you will
see a major escalation of the quality of the facilities we are going to provide
in our hospitals,” the Governor said.
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