On the 1st of July, 2016. It would be recalled that the Lagos Government decided to go tough on street trading and hawking after hoodlums vandalized Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles in Maryland last week following the death of a hawker.


STREET HAWKERS

Different reactions from various quarters followed the decision made by the state government.
Some believing the state government acted in an insensitive manner to the lower class citizens of the state. Some others believed the fine of 90,000naira is too much.
That said... What brought about this write up is not to support the government, but to state why the move isn't so much a bad move.

So I would be listing some few reasons/advantages why I think the move is long overdue and very needed not only in Lagos state, but in all the 36 states of the federation.


1. Cleanliness

Yes, this tops my list of reasons why the ban is very needed. I have lived in Lagos all my life and have had the opportunity to travel out of the country as well, and I can categorically say that a one determining factor why those other countries have neater or cleaner highways is because of lack of street hawkers!
Let's take this example to elaborate this point better: after a long day at work and in a terrible traffic, that yogurt or bottle water or the nations official traffic snacks lacasera + gala vendor/hawkers comes to your rescue.

[img]http://4.bp..com/_Mf2suMFxc0U/TG6pla4-q9I/AAAAAAAAAFg/HMhP4XyXG0k/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG[/img]

In few minutes you are done with devouring it. What comes to our mind next? Dispose the trash! And where do we dispose it? Your guess is as good as mine, on the road.
And then you ever wonder why the state is always so dirty? Well, you caused it, but it could have been avoided, how? If the street vendor wasn't available, you would have survived and also you won't be part of those littering the highways.


Now imagine what would happen when thousands, millions of people do this on a daily basis?
Think no further, here is what would happen.

[img]http://3.bp..com/_V9VXai14_Og/SWNlOdgggrI/AAAAAAAAE4w/P9V9RNFVoM8/s400/65119-Clogged-Gutter-0.jpg[/img]
BLOCKED DRAINAGE

2. FLOODING:Taking a stroll after heavy rainfall in Lagos, you wouldn't deny most gutters are always blocked by dirts which would in turn cause over-flooded drainage. We could say dirts from individual houses could result to it as well, but in Lagos even the low class residential have environmental sanitation cleaners coming to dispose their dirt's for them for a monthly fee. So it is safe to say most blocked drainage are caused by road littering. Now, what if the street hawkers weren't available? our gutters wouldn't be blocked always.


3. DROP IN RATE OF HIGHWAY ROBBERY

After the inauguration of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, highway robbery was on the increase, in fact lots of us believed Ambode was incompetent because he seemed to be clueless as to what to do about the situation. But thankfully, that has reduced a bit.
But I believe the problem has been reduced to a minimal level.
But a ban on the hawkers would "kill" it totally.

[img]http://3.bp..com/-1OLok-S8S9o/VbgqFTNyqAI/AAAAAAACdYA/kfCjxVjK4iA/s1600/20150728_213835.jpg[/img]


4. SAFETY OF LIFE

Take what led to the said ban of street hawkers, it was the death of a vendor, who was going about his duty, was crushed to death by a BRT vehicle. It could have been avoided if he was not doing that.



All these are to me advantages of why the ban shouldn't be lifted in the state and should also be spread round the Nation. But we should all continue to remind the government that those who have been banned are left with nothing doing, any form of empowerment program would be the best at a time like this.


Written by:
Photoshoot
UNILAG.



Cc: lalasticlala, Mynd44

Well said.

Good points.
But I disagree with point 3. Street hawking has nothing to do with traffic robbers.
Once there is free flow traffic traffic robbing will die completely.

DonCortino:
Good points.
But I disagree with point 3. Street hawking has nothing to do with traffic robbers.
Once there is free flow traffic traffic robbing will die completely.

True, but even in advanced countries we have stucked, hold ups and "go slows". So i don't think flowing traffics would really curtail that.

Thanks though

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixk5eTGTrDs

[size=15pt]Lagos authorities ban Hawking in traffic[/size]

Horus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixk5eTGTrDs

[size=15pt]Lagos authorities ban Hawking in traffic[/size]

Woah, that video just summarized all op wrote
Thank God I am not the only one who believes the banning has its good side.


Cc: lalasticlala

tobex23:

Woah, that video just summarized all op wrote
Thank God I am not the only one who believes the banning has its good side.
Cc: lalasticlala

Horus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixk5eTGTrDs

[size=15pt]Horus: Lagos authorities ban Hawking in traffic[/size]

Thanks.