Speaking during a joint press briefing addressed by the State’s Ministries of Information and Strategy, The Environment, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Office of Civic Engagement, the Government said it constructed an alternative market stall for the traders which can conveniently accommodate over 600 shops and hundreds of kee Clamps, and agreed to subsidize payment by giving shops at the new market at a monthly give away price of N5, 000.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said the traders were adequately notified before the exercise took place as required by law, and that government engaged with the leadership of the market severally before carrying out the demolition exercise on Owonifari Market.
While clarifying issues on the demolition which took place on January 5, 2016, Ayorinde said it was important for people to note that the issue of the market had been on for nothing less than ten years, adding that government had been engaging the leadership of the market to make them realize that it could no longer continue in the manner in which the market was being used.
He said unfortunately, the leadership of the market, in the last three years, refused to move despite the fact that the new market has over 600 shops apart from the kee clamps which takes the number of people that the market could conveniently accommodate to over a thousand all together.
Ayorinde said having been satisfied that government had provided a befitting alternative, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, invited the leadership of the market to the Executive Chambers and met with them on December 16, 2015, where he reiterated his plans for Oshodi and the need to move the traders to Isopakodowo which as at that time had been ready for a couple of years.
"A few of them expressed certain misgivings but largely they felt that if their interest would be accommodated within the Isopakodowo Market, that they were willing and ready to move and on our part, we said that the discussion should be ongoing particularly regarding how much they would pay for each store within that market," the Commissioner said.
"After that, on Monday December 21, 2015, Governor Ambode went on a tour of that market area particularly at Isopakodowo in company with a few members of the Exco. Again, we met with the leadership of the market where it was eventually agreed based on the proposition by the leadership that what they were willing to pay for each shop at Isopakodowo was N5, 000.
"There is nowhere in Lagos where you will agree to be paying N5, 000 per shop not to talk of the central Oshodi, but the Governor agreed with them and we said we were ready to concede after which we now formally served them with a quit notice through the office of the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development," he said.
Speaking further, Ayorinde denied allegation that many goods of the traders were destroyed in the demolition exercise, adding that such was far from the truth.
"The intention of government certainly was not to destroy any goods and we did not destroy any goods because we believe that a good number of the traders, if not all, had moved because they were aware that they needed to move.
"Government, I should say, will not be blackmailed because we had done everything humanly possible and you know that the hallmark of this government has been compassion. It is a compassionate government.
"The intention was not to destroy the market or destroy properties or to make life inconvenient for them. We believe very strongly that Isopakodowo market is quite ideal; its a lot bigger store-per-store than where they had been removed now and the aim of government, as we stated earlier, is to ensure that that area of the market conforms with the type of image that we want Lagos to be, which is to return sanity to the place, to beautify the market, to construct a world class bus terminus around that place and to ensure that people who use that place on a daily basis – the commuters, traders, everybody enjoy what it means to go to a market in a mega city.
"We also believe that the exercise will largely reduce the gridlock that is associated with that area and then the criminalities that were rampant in that Oshodi. What we have done is in the interest of the generality of Lagosians,” Ayorinde said.
"You will see from the reports that quite a good chunk of the traders acknowledged that they had been properly served and that they were ready to move which was why a good number of them, if not all, parked their things just before the end of last year.
"Along the line, we got intelligence report that during the holidays there were a number of criminal activities going on in the market and that the place was harbouring criminals and a number of untoward activities which of course necessitated the need to move immediately to safeguard lives, to safeguard properties and to ensure that there was no breach of peace which was what led to the demolition."
Okay! Good to know.
ReplyDeleteI just pray that D LASG is telling the truth o..
ReplyDeleteLinda u see how Dem Sidon like free fufu Wey never dry water finish,dey dey lie I get somebody Wey Dem destroy her goods up till late nite yesterday she never stop crying funny enough dis woman is d one footing d families bills
ReplyDeleteSo where she wan start frm.
Actually @iamEdobabe#replinda#
Ok
ReplyDeleteLinda when u take dey sleep? May God bless our hassle
ReplyDeleteEdobabe#replinda#
Sounds good
ReplyDeleteQuit notice given end of December, demolition first week of January. Well done
ReplyDeleteAhhh not in the mood of reading all this right now abeg
ReplyDelete5k monthly is very perfect o
ReplyDelete5k monthly is very good o!
ReplyDeleteleave trash for Lawma. the state govt. have to work naa
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...I heard they demolished goods, and they are here denying it
ReplyDeleteHaveyouprayedforNigeriatoday
Hope they are not giving us half truths
ReplyDeleteLagos state Government has been destroying goods and properties for a long time. Na today day break. Abeg make we hear word
ReplyDeleteTrust Nigerians now especially lagosians, they can lie for Africa. Smh
ReplyDeleteOga na lie.
ReplyDelete#linda give me 1bo#
hope they will stick to it ooo..nice one
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...I hope d N5,000 payment is true,cos politicians are fickle. Jay-B
ReplyDeleteSaw the place yesterday it was horrible, some traders are still in their village...Mrs Tommy
ReplyDeleteGOOD ONE ABLE GOV. 5K A MONTH AIN'T BAD ATALL. I LOVE THIS GUY
ReplyDeleteEven if the government wait for another 1year before demolition, such cries would still be heard, what governance in Nigeria entails is Friendliness, Fairness and FIRMNESS. #thoushalllaugh
ReplyDeleteAbeg the demolition is so welcomed by me, dat place has become something else. Linda take note!
ReplyDeleteAlright oooooo
ReplyDeleteEven if Dem destroy Dem no fit agree. Naija government
ReplyDeleteAJ MAIN BOY...
Nigeria will only get better ....®©™
ReplyDeleteGod help dem all
ReplyDeleteGod is watching u Mr Ambode
ReplyDeleteObserved, hope there are not lying oh, am in love with Linda Ikeji for real and would wish to meet her in person as my 2016 resolution.
ReplyDeleteNa so
ReplyDeleteStory for d gods
ReplyDeleteSai ambode eko on I baje we just want continuity
ReplyDeleteStory for d gods
ReplyDeleteTell it as it is...baba governor
ReplyDeleteWaitoooo this early momo una xpect person to read this epistle! Na so
ReplyDeleteEwo. The rent will keep increasing as d year goes buy. No be Nigeria?
ReplyDeleteAre they not notified before the destruction....... Let's go Linda
ReplyDeleteAs long as they have been notified and moved to the new market am cool...if u have been told to move and u still stick u ass there ur cup of tea..don't blame government
ReplyDelete~make I go drink one bottle of beer~
Not up to three weeks of notice which most traders felt was a rumor as they didn't serve the traders the necessary quit notice documents for evacuation from shops. They sealed their stores at midnight 11:30 pm on Saturday night and didn't open it again till they started the demolition exercise as early as 2:00 am in the morning on wed 6th knowing fully well that a lot of customers still had their goods inside the shops after they chased them away with tear gas on the 2nd of january. Many of them were beaten out of the market while trying to remove their goods that day, only for their shops to b sealed that night and demolished 3 days later.
DeleteI blame my igbo brothers,especially their leadership they think keeping quite is an option,talk if they don't want you guys,find another place and do your biz,do nigeria factor will still prevent you guy via importation,u guys can still add money on your goods,its win win.
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...sometimes, it needs to get ugly and botched before it gets the real shape, status and beauty...I pray it won't be like wetin aregbe dey do for osun state o...amen!!....am new here...please keep your nose to the door!
ReplyDeleteOk
ReplyDelete-D great anonymous now as Vivian Reginalds
Eko ko ni baje!
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteWill u even agree that you destroy their wares nonsense most of them must have traveled...
ReplyDeleteGoods were destroyed o#2pple even fainted#smh#we are watching
ReplyDeleteI thank God you witnessed it.. this APC Gov is a fraud. lie lie lie. I also witnessed a trader trying to pay them 200k to retrieve the 6million he said he had in the drawer of his shop but to no avail as the security operatives turned deaf ears to his pleas, then beat and chased him away. I even saw a lot of agberos retrieving some goods and cash from the scene after the demolition exercise .
DeleteWhat kind of wickedness is that. You haven't even build the new one and destroyed the oshodi mrkts nd u dey mean say no goods dey inside the shop? Who is fooling who?
ReplyDeleteRapuluchukwuifenineadigommakings@yahoo.com
Reporting from Delsu.
the truth is that where that market is located is not good, but there are needs for them to be compensated cos most of them just paid their rents.
ReplyDeleteDon~ jazzycrush
the truth is that where that market is located is not good, but there are needs for them to be compensated cos most of them just paid their rents.
ReplyDeleteDon~ jazzycrush
IT'S ACTUALLY FOR A BETTER LIVE. Asap
ReplyDeleteOk
ReplyDeleteDevelopment is good,in a city that want to develop 4 real
ReplyDeleteEvery single love I have for U was a hit, back to back,,,from adding Ur Blog to My Bookmark to getting addicted to Ur blog to following U on all socia media platform to show U how much I really care,,buh all to no avail, koni daa fun iyalaya age cos I truly care. . .kidnapping ti take over....errm, tell Daddy & Mommy, awon inlaw Mi of life; Chief & Mrs Ikeji, if they want U back, they shuld be ready to collect brideprice, yam & other things they want so Me & U can marry fast fast***Solomon aka Linda's Bae***
ReplyDeleteI applaud this new idea..way to go folks..let's make Lagos great again!
ReplyDeletewhose report should we.believe then?
ReplyDeleteLinda am sorry am on my way to work now, they are laying, they destroyed many goods I was their on Wednesday night to help my friend to pick out what we can, and on getting their on Thursday the place has being as yet ablezy..
ReplyDeleteAmbo ooo Eko se se bere nii o
ReplyDeleteI really do hope their intentions are as good as it sounds cos you can't just snatch cereal out of the mouth of a baby and think everything would be normal.
ReplyDeleteNonsense
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...they shd plz consider the masses and place a rentage that will be affordable cuz the interest of all shd be priority
ReplyDeletenawa o. this January?
ReplyDeleteAmbode pls eko ko gbodo baje lori e...don't let Lagos spoil on ur head...wwbwb
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the outcome, hope it will do us good than the damaged
ReplyDeleteLie lie lie..i was there later in the evening after the demolition exercise when some traders and agberos where searching and removing blocks untop of the remainder goods that had been demolished.
ReplyDeleteI have even seen videos of traders removing their remaining goods from the demolished site after the demolition exercise. Many of which had been destroyed.
ReplyDeleteEnter your comment...too early haba
ReplyDeleteI hope they are telling the truth...
ReplyDeleteI think our people should also comply
ReplyDeleteThis government is far from being compassionate pls. You held a meeting with the market leaders in December then on 21st the Governor and market leaders went to visit the new market u want them to relocate too, you agreed to N5000 and before January 21st 2016 u have demolished their shops. Please what happened to lagos property law? As a Landlord are u giving me the go ahead to issue notice and in a month lock up the tenant apartment? This is EVIL
ReplyDeleteI heard he has also sealed alaba market and lagos trade fair ..owned by the igbos, there is God oh!
ReplyDeleteIt's all a big lie..trust the government nah, they are gud with lies. They sealed the traders shops at about 11:00 pm Saturday 9th on the second of January and they didn't open it 4 traders to remove their goods till Wednesday morning around 1:30 am when they started demolishing the market. Armed security officials at the cite of demolition battered any trader that tried coming close to their shops to retrieve their goods. This is an act of wickedness on the igbos which could lead to a serious problem in this country if such wicked treatment on the igbos should continue.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a big lie..trust the government nah, they are gud with lies. They sealed the traders shops at about 11:00 pm Saturday 9th on the second of January chasing those at the scene that were trying to recover their goods with tear gas and they didn't open it 4 traders to remove their goods till Wednesday morning around 1:30 am when they started demolishing the market. Armed security officials at the cite of demolition battered any trader that tried coming close to their shops to retrieve their goods .anybody found filming the demolition exercise was beaten and kept inside a black maria. This is an act of wickedness on the igbos which could lead to a serious problem in this country if such wicked treatment on the igbos should continue. I heard he has also sealed the lagos trade fair complex and alaba market is also on his list.
ReplyDeleteMost of the well to do oshodi market traders whose shops recently got demolished have gone to rent shops at the ARENA army shopping complex (around 300 thousand naira per year)am very sure the price is surely going to increase with time. this is the change we voted for.
ReplyDeletegood one...angelmakiz@yahoo.com
ReplyDelete#5,000 monthly for ultra modern market? That's a lie!
ReplyDelete