Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has announced a cut in the rent paid by occupants of the Ibadan Scout Camp Neighborhood Market’s open stalls and locked-up shops from N62, 000 to N40, 000 for locked-up shops while the open stall was cut from N16, 000 to N8, 000.
The action, according to the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Hon. Adeniyi Adebisi was premised on the promise of the state governor to reduce the cost of using government-owned shops across the state by traders and market women.
Adebisi stated this while on a visit to the Scout Camp Market at Ibadan South-East local government in Ibadan on Friday, calling on the traders still displaying their wares by the road side to desist in order to be safe from accidents caused by passing vehicles as well as allow for free flow of traffic around the area.
He added that the need for the traders to vacate the road side was also part of the decision to cut the rent for the locked-up shops and the open stalls, as some of the traders complained that the rent was not affordable for them, hence they had to use the road side.
The Commissioner promised that the basic amenities craved by the traders in the market would be provided soon, saying “the present government has seen the rigours you go through to survive in this economy. We knew how much the past government has imposed on you and why some would decide to use the road side to display their wares, even against warning on the apparent danger posed by such act. The rent on the locked-up shop is cut from sixty-two thousand naira to forty thousand naira while the rent of the open stall is cut from sixteen thousand naira to eight thousand naira respectively, this is to relief the shop owners of the cost and attract those using the road side to sell their goods to desist from doing so henceforth. The state is aware of the basic amenities that are supposed to be here but lacking and work is going on to provide same, but we are warning those that will still want to continue to sell by the roadside that strict adherence to the law against street trading is currently being enforced, they should note this”.
The Commissioner stressed that the decision to reduce the rent was taken after the governor paid unannounced visit to the market to find a lasting solution to the abandonment of the scout camp neighborhood market and to reiterate the government’s zero tolerance for street trading.
The Chairman of the Market, Mr Kehinde Tewogbade said the traders were appreciative of the government’s gesture and promised to do all they could to support the policies and programmes of the administration.