The government our country has decided to cut even more jobs in lagos as they continue on their campaign to clear more trading areas in Lagos.The exercise started early this morning at Yaba,the affected trading areas happens to be on the railway line where used clothes and other wears fondly called 'okirika' is sold.
A lot of traders were caught at lose guard when they arrived this morning to make weekend trading as what they saw really distabilize them,all their stalls are been demolished by the government. Some of the traders there commented 'these stalls,we pay for them on regular basis and they were constructed by the local government and all they can do is to come here today and demolish everything without creating any optional space for them to trade,it is very devastating that after demolishing Tejuosho market and reconstructing it at a very slow pace,all they are concerned about is to distroy,if the rate at which they demolish,they rebuild,it would have been better and more over they said there is a new market at Oshodi,how many people can afford a stall at the new Oshodi market.They do not consider the masses'.

Really,this is Lagos' own way of cutting jobs like it is applicable in western world at the moment due to the Global Economic Meltdown.

I really don't see the correlation. The appropriate name for this process is called 'urban renewal', which is desperately needed in Lagos.

The Nigerian Railway Corporation service gave this trader on the railway line 2 years to move, because they planned to rebuild the railway line. I posted an article a few weeks back on it. They first started  at Iju in New Oko-Oba and said they were moving to yaba. Its not only lagos state that stall on railway line are been removed, the have started in other states too.

here is the article

http://allafrica.com/stories/200903200302.html

Tears for Rail Line Occupiers in Lagos

The importance of heeding timely warnings cannot be over-emphasised. On many occasions in the past, paying attention to such warnings had saved lives and property.

However, those that ignored such warnings have paid dearly for their disobedience, either with loss of property and sometimes loss of their lives.

For illegal occupants along railway corridors in Lagos State, ignoring timely warnings given by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to vacate rail line corridors has brought tears and anguish to them. The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) penultimate Friday began demolition of all illegal structures along railway corridors in Lagos State after several notices were issued. The exercise, which commenced at Iju in New Oko-Oba area of the state, affected churches, food and local gins joints, kiosks and some ramshackle structures among others.

As a result of the demolition exercise, many people living along the rail line corridors in Lagos State have been rendered homeless while others lost their means of livelihood.

The ongoing demolition exercise includes structures with Temporary Occupation Licence (TOL) and Permanent Occupation Licence (POL) within the operational area along the rail line across the country.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio, had during his nationwide tour of railway facilities, ordered that all illegal structures along rail corridors be removed throughout the country to paved the way for the rehabilitation of the nation's railway system.

The minister, who was visibly angry by the unattractive sights caused by the dilapidated nature of the structures and the danger they portend to train operations, directed the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation not to leave any stone unturned in the demolition exercise. The minister also appealed to all the concerned state governments to provide necessary assistance and security throughout the duration of the demolition exercise.

Shortly before the demolition exercise, Lagos Railway District Manager (RDM), John Dottie, told Daily Independent that since notices were issued to all illegal occupants in 2006 to vacate the rail lines, they stubbornly refused. He said government cannot allow illegal occupants to reside on the rail line corridors, stressing that the exercise would be thorough, extending to all the states of the federation.

"The exercise is in the best interest of the people, we cannot allow this to continue to happen and I want to assure Nigerians that the Nigerian Railway Corporations is prepared to ensure compliance with the directive of the Federal Government," he stated.

Dottie added that law enforcement agents and Man O War officials had been instructed not to molest or harass any of the illegal occupants[b]. According to him, plans are underway to expand the railway tracks to four lines in line with the Lagos State government's arrangement to use NRC rail corridors for its light rail project.[/b]

The exercise, according to the district manage[b]r, would be carried out simultaneously in all the states which harbour railway corridors starting with Lagos.
[/b]
He stated that NRC will be assisted by state governments to keep the entire track free of illegal structures all the time like the Lagos State government is doing presently.

He said the Federal Government, through paid advertisement and formal quit notices, informed the concerned owners of these structures of the intention to demolish the structures as required by the agreement signed.

Besides, Dottie further explained that for NRC to be able to accommodate the four lines in the railway corridors there was the need for all rights of way to be recovered hence the demolition exercise.

His words: "When the minister made this directive, we went further to pass the information to the occupants of the area and announced it on the radio stations; we even had meetings with all the traditional rulers in the affected areas, including Agbado, Agege, Ijora and Iju. We encouraged them to inform their people to vacate the rail line corridor.

"Everybody is happy with what is going on at Oshodi, and if we can succeed in doing that in Yaba and other places, then we can experience similar ease of traffic. We do not wish to bring any hardship to anybody but to develop the country," he stated.

He warned that the demolition exercise would be continuous, adding that NRC is working in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment to ensure that illegal structures do not exist on the rail lines corridors.

During the demolition exercise, some occupants, whose structures were affected, confirmed that they were duly informed about the demolition exercise but did not know it would come so soon.

One Adebimpe Okanlawon, a fruit seller along the corridors at Iju Station, said she received a notice distributed by the management of NRC asking them to remove their structures from the rail line corridors sometimes in 2006. She pointed out that despite the fact that the NRC stopped collecting rents from them since two years ago, some elders of the community were still demanding for rents from them and collected up till December last year.

"We cannot say we were not informed, because as you can see, some of us have already removed our cubicles before today. They (NRC) told us about three years ago when they stopped collecting rents from us, though some of the elders here still collected rent till December last year," she said.

However, the owner of Orelope Food Canteen, Alhaja Sidikat Orelope, whose canteen was demolished, denied ever being notified. According to her, while notices were given to others occupying the opposite side of the rail corridors, she was given false impression that her canteen would not be affected.

Orelope, who hastily removed some of her belongings with the assistance of well-wishers, wept bitterly as she watched her canteen go down under the bulldozer.

Speaking, the Baale of Iju, Chief Tunde Savage, told reporters that he was not aware of any notice given to the people, adding that he had never been invited to any meeting with the management of NRC to discuss about the demolition.

His words: "They never had any meeting with me or my people, and I am so surprised to see them now. I even sent my messenger to call their representative when I saw them destroying this place but they refused to come."

Armed policemen accompanied by men from the Man of War (Man-O-War) maintained law and order throughout the demolition exercise.

blackspade:

I really don't see the correlation. The appropriate name for this process is called 'urban renewal', which is desperately needed in Lagos.

Thank you, the truth is not everybody can afford to live in Lagos.

It is easy for us to comment on issues that did not affect us. I was also in that category until recently when I opt to do personal investigation where possible. On the Railway issue, it is irresponsible comment for anyone to think the people enjoy trading on the rails. It is wickedness for govt to castigate the traders for not leaving when in reality, it was govt that encouraged them to stay on.

When I was young, I used to follow my mum, once a while to her shop, on weekends. We will cross the lane to reach her shop.I also know that two of our neighbours trade on railway lines.

After everyone had finished serving their husbands and kids, they have a way of coming together to discuss their respective experience while we children sit and listen. Even though my mum has not had her break at the time, I realized how lucky we are to have a decent shop.

The Federal govt at a time evacuted the traders from railway line, but the state and local govt, desperate of shoring up their IGR revenue gave them blanket approval to return to the place by ordering the traders to pay taxes, dues etc.

We must realize that these people are poor and their wares barely keep them alive. It is this condition that made them vulnerable to govt policies sumersault.

As for providing alternatives, it is a blantant lie from govt! They did nothing of such.

My mun had a legally acquired shop in Old Agege Market when I was young. She toiled hard and bought the space from govt. Yet, she pay ridiculous amount as dues, daily, weekly, monthly and annually to all tier of govt and market unions.

When the Market was to be Modernized during Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, she had already moved to bigger shops but retained the ownership of the old shop. Guess what? Though Tinubu fulfilled his promise to allocate the new shops to original owners, the traders paid #250k-#500k to re-acquired the small shops. Those who don't have the money had to let go. Is that good governance?

Oh come on!!!


Typical Nigerian mentality. Markets spring up like mushroom fungus all over the country in every city. No one pays taxes, no one cleans, they create health hazards, clog up roads, mice, garbage, etc etc.

I'm fully behind Lagos Government with its cleaning up policy.


Hopefully with the land reform bills (if it ever passes) these people can return home or stay and purchase a small piece of land and build their capital onwards from there.

Strangleyo,
I do not know who you are refering. I also want to believe that you have not done your own investigation.

No one, even among the market women want Fashola to stop cleaning up lagos. Please try watch a programme on LTV where these women praise him. But the manner of demolition and the economic hardship must be addressed. These people are being treated like animals. Go and see for yourself.

As for tax issue, you are deluding yourself if you blame it on the traders. I know, because I am proud to say I was without silver spoon. Though we are extremely lucky to have parents that made it and make life easy for us. I remember when I was in Primary school, the council will make our parent pay some money. They will bring receipt. We paid, weekly, and annually. The state will also bring their own levy. Then the Market union will also bring levy. If these weren't tax, what are they? When you board a Danfo bus, you will see difference kind of receipts from LG, State, union etc. That is apart from the road side Agbero, which is an exception, if those money are not tax, I mean money collected by govt, what are they?

On the land reform law, do you think if it is passed at all, the people that are affected before the law was passed will benefit? What happened to Maroko, Ajah land grab? Has the victims been compensated?

While we all love and desire a clean Lagos, we should be wary of making unfair comments about we know absolutely nothing about. We should know that while govt can't satisfied everyone, we can't always shut our eyes to injustice.

Fashola is choosing the wrong time to execute mass demolition. With global crunch and mass unemployment at its highest, it is only a reckless govt that will allow it policy to aggravate unemployment situation.

FYI, the project was conceived during Tinubu administration. He did some demolition but not mass demolition. What he did was to demolish one, rebuild it and then demolish another, while the cycle repeat itself.