Traders in the popular Gbagi market in Ibadan otherwise known as Bola Ige International Market on Saturday morning cried out over the intolerable and deplorable conditions of the market and daily disruption of the State Government master plan of the market.
The traders under the aegis of “Concerned Gbagi Traders” who took a group of Civil Society Organization round the market areas, deplored the activities of those they described as ‘selfish aides and consultants of the State Government’ who were only after revenue generation for selfish gains without taking into consideration the plight of traders and customers.
Mr. Benjamin Aderogba, a trader in the market said all the market leaders including the Babaloja; Iyaloja; Associations of traders of various commodities are not happy with the developments in the market.
Aderogba who spoke on behalf of the group expressed worry that a supposed international market has been turned to ‘Jankariwo market’ with illegal stalls and kiosks littering everywhere, and causing the traders and customers to experience harrowing times daily.
According to him, “one of the journalists in this Ibadan, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat came to this market to see for himself what we have been talking about and he wept openly on seeing the problems and the level of bastardization of the Oyo State Government plan.
“He promised to talk to His Excellency, Engr Seyi Makinde to wade in because the Governor, according to Oriyomi Hamzat, would never approve building of shops, shanties and stalls in an unauthorized areas so much that the Master Plan has been grossly ignored.
“The car park areas have been virtually taken over by shops being constructed or that had been constructed without recourse to the welfare and wellbeing of traders and visiting customers. Why on earth would an international market be subjected to this kind of abuse and neglect by the government officials?
“The Fire Service point has been compromised with shops and the whole place is now like a rudderless environment. The State Government needs to declare a state of emergency to avert another disaster witnessed at Bodija area of the city, recently.
“The aboriginal traders who have been here for decades are being asked to pay N4million annually while Counter owners were being told to pay N600,000 annually in this excruciating economic and financial crisis in the country.
“To make the matter worse, officials of the Oyo State Road Management Agency (OYRTMA) are fond of toeing away vehicles of customers packed besides the road, thus scaring many people away from our market with its attendant lack of sales.
“This Bola Ige International Market like other legacies of the founding fathers of the State are being trampled upon by those with little or no history of how those facilities came into being.
“The Ibadan Elders, Elites and the traditional institution should wade in, before it is too late. The State House of Assembly should find a way round this issue by making sure that the House Committee on Trade and Investments institute a probe as part of its oversight functions into the market,” Aderogba added.
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