LETTER TO LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT ON
ABROGATION OF STREET HAWKING : CONSEQUENCES
AND DANGER AHEAD
Your Excellency Sir,
I appreciate your concern towards the betterment of life of
every Lagosian; your performance within the few months of
assumption as the Lagos State Governor is an assurance of
a better life for Lagos and Lagosians in years to come. I
say more powers to your elbow sir!
It no longer a news that the Lagos State Government under
your instructions has abrogated street hawking in Lagos
State, yet, I hope you would reverse your decision after
reading my passionate Letter as a child who had the
opportunity of Tertiary Education through hawking
enterprise.
Hawking is a common phenomenon among petty traders
who vend and offer goods for sale via advertisement-by-
shouting. In some major cities of Nigeria, it has become an
Enterprise or a Craft through which poor people get their
daily meals. Indeed, I would have supported your opinion to
abrogate hawking, especially when we consider the risk and
danger attributed to underage hawking in Lagos. It is true
there had been occurrences where young hawkers were
kidnapped for ritual purposes, where female hawkers were
raped, where some were killed by hit-and-run vehicles on
the highway, where some had been used in syndicate
crimes, etc. Yet, it must be said that Hawking is an oxygen
through which some people live, remove it and so many
people will die; so many destinies will shatter. Ironically,
there are so many great people in power today who have
been clamouring for the abrogation of street hawking, who
were trained to greatness by their hawking parents.
Government can not provide everything for the people. It
should be noted therefore that the people also have
responsibilities to sustain themselves. Take for example,
Education has become expensive; it is even more expensive
now as against the assurances of free education and
scholarship we anticipated. And now that it is clear that
the Government is not interested in providing support
services for the people, won't it be tantamount to a sin if
the other means of livelihood of the people who wishes to
be educated is taking away from them?
If i may ask these few questions sir:
1. What other alternative means of living have you devised
for these hawking-dependants?
2. What palliative measures have you put in place for these
hawkers to cushion down the consequential effect of your
decision sir?
As we all know, high cost of living in Lagos-Nigeria has
astronomically gone up. Life in Lagos has become so costly
and the class of frustrated poor hawkers in Lagos may
begin to seek solace in illegality if you refuse to reverse and
modify your decision or if quick measures are not put in
place to pacify them sir.
I humbly urge you to quickly check into this matter before it
boomerangs Your Excellency.
Finally, let me suggest the following as ways forward:
1. Rather than totally abrogating the hawking enterprise in
Lagos State, the State Government can insist on the
prohibition of underage hawking while the adults can
continue with their petty businesses and means of
livelihood.
2. The Lagos State could bring up an agency such as the
Lagos State Agency on Vending and Hawking (LASAVAH).
This agency shall be saddled make policies and regulatory
laws on conduct and activities of the vending Hawkers in
Lagos.
3. The Lagos State Government can also embark on
Hawkers Census through which it could have the statistical
index of all hawkers in Lagos State, their data and location.
It is my belief and conviction as young student of
governance and public policy that these suggestions will in
no small measure assist the Lagos State Government and
the congregation of poor Lagos State Hawkers too.
God bless you
OMORILEWA VINCENT TOMILOLA
00 LEVEL STUDENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
EKSU, NIGERIA
7AB17784

To what end is this new policy if i may ask? Put an end to the negative consequences of hawking? Or part of Lagos aesthetic design?

Any policy devoid of human face, amounts to human inhumanity to man.

Poor homes are invariably unaesthetic and Lagos is one poor home and you cannot force it to be beautiful. You must attain it.

Hawk and go to jail in lagos.
If you want to hawk, go to any of the other 35 states and FCT where ypu can hawk without any hinderance.

loopman:
Hawk and go to jail in lagos.
If you want to hawk, go to any of the other 35 states and FCT where ypu can hawk without any hinderance.

will yu provide shelter for them ??

God bless the writer of this letter. That has always been my problem with occupiers of Lagos State No.1 Seat of Government; always taking decision without considering its pros and cons. For God's sake, why stop people from trading on the streets when no feasible alternative or palliative is put in place. Agreed , street trading has its attendant demerits and hazards, has Lagos State Government provided alternative in form of affordable stalls and shops? The last govt took similar decisions by ejecting squatters from Makoko and other suburbs without adequate compensation and succor. We can't continue to maltreat ourselves as a people and expect a rancour/crime-free society.

Hawk and go to jail, Good one from my governor.

Apostlevincent:

will yu provide shelter for them ??

Did I invite them to Lagos?

This is a very nice piece. Even if at all you have to ban the hawkers, please provide alternative livelihood. We hope the government would look into this. Thumbs up to the writer.

I'm with the government on this one. Next should be street begging.