By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti.
Ekiti State Government has expressed readiness to introduce mobile court to curb the menace of street trading, just as it has given those trading on some streets in the state capital until August 29, this year to move to some designated markets.
This followed a meeting with the State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, held with market women and their leaders in Ado-Ekiti.
The governor also gave those involved in street trading to be ready to vacate the streets on or before August 29, this year and move to government-designated markets in Ado-Ekiti.
The markets from which the traders could make their choice of moving to are Awedele and Agric Olope markets.
The governor said while he empathised with the traders who experience poor patronage as a result of economic downturn in the country, the state government could still not watch as major streets becoming trading zones which are always littered with refuse.
“We believe in persuasion and the issue of mobile court is a kind of using carrot and stick approach. Our hope is that the affected traders would heed our persuasive approach and relocate appropriately. Major streets that have been turned to trading zones are not acceptable. People are engagering their lives and the refuse they leave behind could cause epidemic.
“We have provided alternatives for you. We have markets you can relocate to while we are building the new Ojaba Market. I am concerned by your welfare but money is a hindrance. I am constrained to ask you to leave that place, but we have to do that. I appeal to you so that our society will not be filthy and we would have an epidemic on hand.
“Street trading is uncalled for and not right. Wheel barrow pushers are making the environment dirty with the way they dump refuse on the road. We have agreed to the August 29 date for you people to relocate. The mobile court is only to serve as a deterrent, we are not interested in compounding anybody’s problem.” he said.
