The Ogbete Main Market Traders’ Association (OMMATA) says it is streamlining barrow pushers’ operation in the market to ensure security and safety.

The president-general of OMMATA, Stephen Aniagu, disclosed this on Wednesday to journalists in Enugu while handing over recovered goods of a customer by a barrow pusher on Saturday.

Mr Aniagu, also the president-general of Enugu State Amalgamated Traders’ Association, said the market would soon organize an orientation for all barrow pushers to ensure they adopt best and beneficial practices.

“After the orientation, we are going to streamline them through biometric and full detailed capturing and this will be followed by giving them ID cards, special aprons with individual numbers, phone numbers and their names tagged on it,” he said.

Mr Aniagu said with this, anybody dealing with a barrow pusher in the market, we know his name, individual apron number and, if possible, his phone number.

“This is to check crime and ensure that no foreign barrow pusher, who does not have an identity, infiltrates into them and commits a crime or moves away with someone’s goods,” he said.

The market chief said the orientation would also ensure everyone’s safety as they carry out their barrow-pushing operations.

“Daily, we receive complaints of barrow pushers injuring unsuspecting customers due to some carrying excessive loads that block their views. We are already working to drill the barrow pushers on safety as well as to set up a task force to monitor their operations and ensure that they operate within responsible safety levels,” he said.

Mr Aniagu, however, advised everybody coming to the market to buy and transact business to be organized and be very watchful over their goods. 

He urged customers to be ready to follow barrow pushers conveying their goods in real-time and properly direct the barrow pushers as they move with their wares.

“We are assuring that the market leadership, through the watchful eyes of our security wing, will continue to ensure security and safety for traders, customers and any other persons having something to do in the market,” he added. 

(NAN)