BEVERLY HILLS, October 24, (THEWILL) – Just like a similitude of the Aba Women’s riot, some women, on Monday, blocked the Uselu/Ugbowo section of the Benin-Lagos highway over plans by Egor Local Government Area of Edo to relocate traders.
The women, under the aegis of Uselu Market Women Association, were protesting against the directive to move to lock-up stores built by the council.
NAN reports that they blocked both sides of the highway, preventing motorists from continuing with their trips as they displayed placards condemning the order as they resisted attempts by the police to get them off the road.
Some of the women said the N1.2 million charged for the stalls was too expensive for them, especially given the type of businesses most of them do insisting that their problem was compounded by the action of the local council, which commenced the removal of their make shift shops on Monday.
Celena Okon, one of the market women, described the council’s action as an act of wickedness, in view of the current economic situation in the country.
“What am I selling that you will force me to pay over a million naira for a single store? I believe they should consider the worth of our businesses individually,” she said.
“Where do you expect a woman who sells only crayfish or tomatoes to get such a ridiculous amount of money to pay, when in actual fact most are in dire need of additional funds to grow their businesses.”
Another market woman, Imade Osifo, who described the situation as pathetic, adding that the council was insensitive, especially against the backdrop of the different fees levied to allow them do business in the market.
She revealed that their decision to barricade the highway was for the world to know what they were going through
“They want to force us to go into the stores and we have told them that we cannot afford the stores; that is why they are destroying our businesses,” she said.
“When the plan to construct these lock-up stores came up, they (Council) told us that the prices will be pocket friendly, especially to some of us involved in petty trading.
“But what do we have now, N1.2 million for a store is a price that most of us cannot afford; there is no way many of us can afford that now.
“Even if the country’s economy was okay, how do you expect a woman who sells only salt and Maggi to generate such,” Mrs. Osifo asked.
All efforts to get authorities of Egor local council to comment on the situation proved abortive, as the council’s Head of Service was said to be unavailable.
When contacted on telephone, the council’s spokesman, Prisca Ebvadiaro, said she was not in the position to comment on the matter.
“I cannot speak on this; there is a committee that has been set up and as such, I cannot speak on it,” Mrs. Ebvadiaro said.
Story by Oputah David
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