There has been growing anxiety among traders at the popular Kuto Market over the planned further demolition of shops at a section of the market in the Ogun State capital, to pave way for the ongoing remodeling project by the authority of Abeokuta South Local Government
Scores of traders whose shops have been marked for demolition, were seen inside the market on Tuesday, intensifying their protest which they started since last week Thursday at the palace of Alake and the council's secretariat in Ake, to prevent the local council from going ahead with the planned further demolition slated for this Wednesday, July 17, 2024 as clearly stated in the one week quit notice issued to the affected traders
The protesting traders displayed placards with various bold inscriptions, pleading with Governor Dapo Abiodun to come to their rescue, by prevailing on the Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Hon. Omolaja Majekodunmi to stop the demolition exercise in the market
Women Market Leader for the local council, Alhaja Isiwatu Adewuyi speaking on behalf of the protesters, appealed to the council's boss not to go ahead with the planned further demolition, to avoid chaos in the market
Kuto market according to her , has been known for peace since 40 years ago when the market started from thick bush in 1984 during the period of Late Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya as military governor of the State
She decried the process being used by the local council to carry out the planned further demolition, saying there was no prior notice or meeting with leadership of the market before the issuance of the one week quit notice to the traders to vacate their shops marked for demolition
According to her , those traders whose shops were earlier demolished for the first phase of the remodeling project of the market have been displaced and now displaying their goods or wares by the road side for customers to buy
Alhaja Isiwatu who is also the Kuto market leader lamented that some of the traders whose shops were earlier demolished are still in shock and yet to recover from the ugly situation, calling on the State Government to quickly intervene and save the traders who are the bread winners of their respective families from going into early graves
The highly disturbed market leader said several efforts to get the local council's chairman through Baale of Kuto community Chief Muftau Kehinde had failed, saying the traders are now living in palpable fear of imminent demolition of their only source of livelihood
Several of the protesting traders who took turns to complain, said they could not afford the rate of N6 million being charged by the local council for the allocation of a unit of the completed lock up shops within the ongoing first phase of the project
The traders including young graduates, pleaded with the council to save them the agony of starting all over again sourcing for financial resources in the harsh economic situation in the country
Edu-Biznews recalls that traders at the major Lafenwa Market in June, staged similar protest to Abeokuta North Local Governments Secretariat at Akomoje area of the State capital to stop the local council from carrying out demolition of shops marked for remodeling project of the market
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