SAN FRANCISCO, July 01, (THEWILL) – The Lagos State Government has revealed that it would commence a total enforcement against Street Trading and street hawkers from Friday, July 1, 2016.
Speaking at a live interview session on Television Continental, the State Governor, 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.
He revealed that the State Executive Council resolved to enforce the Law, which according to him makes both the hawker and the Buyer liable of the offence as an aftermath of the death of a street hawker who was knocked down by an articulated truck while trying to evade arrest from officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).
“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.
“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.
“We will be watching out for buyers and sellers and all we need is just scapegoat. Don’t buy plantain chips or any other items in traffic from July 1, buyers beware.
“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.”
Story by David Oputah
