Small scale traders at the Bauchi Central Market, on Thursday, staged a protest against the notice given to them by the Bauchi State government to quit as a result of the traffic congestion on the roads within the vicinity of the market.
DAILY POST reports that as part of efforts to ease free flow of traffic in Bauchi, the state capital, the state government had three months ago allocated new plots of land at the Muda Lawal Market, also in Bauchi metropolis, to the traders and subsequently asked them to relocate.
The protesting traders who were led to the Press Centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bauchi by Alhaji Mu’azu Chiroma, said the three-month notice given them was too short and called on the government to extend it.
According to the leader of the amalgamated small scale traders, Alhaji Chiroma, the affected traders could not afford to build new shops in the new location within the stipulated period, declaring that the three months deadline was too short.
He appealed to the state governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, to not only extend the deadline but also either give them loans to build new shops or build same for them and allow them to pay in installments.
According to Chiroma, “We were given three months to build shops at the new location but the notice is too short. We cannot build them within the deadline because we are small scale traders.
“We appeal for loans to build the new shops or the government on compassionate ground should build for us.”
Meanwhile, the state government has insisted the traders must vacate their current location to the new place within the deadline given to them.
The Government’s position was conveyed by the chairman of the taskforce on the market, Air Commodore Tijjani Baba Gamawa (rtd), when contacted on the protest by the traders, insisting that government would not extend the deadline.
Gamawa, who doubles as the chairman, Bauchi State Road Transport Agency (BAROTA), explained that traders who sell their commodities near roads outside the central market caused serious traffic difficulties around the area.
According to him, it was based on this that the government decided to relocate them from the area with a view to easing traffic around the market.
Gamawa urged the affected traders to vacate the area in the next 48 hours.
Bauchi central market traders protest relocation notice
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