Civil society organisations and traders from Orilowo Perishable Food Market, Agboyi-Ketu, Lagos, embarked on a peaceful protest on Thursday at the Lagos House of Assembly to clarify the status of the market site.

The protesters alleged that they had earlier met with the authority of the area development council, and it had refused to address their plea for a site for the market.

But Dele Oshinowo, the executive chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, faulted the protesters’ claim. He said he had not met with the group of traders to discuss the request for a market site.

“That place is not marked for market. They have not gone to the Lagos State Ministry of Lands to change the use of the land to a market site. The group had issues with plantain sellers and started having a fight,” said Mr Oshinowo. 

He added, “The place they are claiming is not for the market. We cannot be creating market at every spot. Rather than come to me, they went ahead to protest, what are they protesting.”

Nonetheless, he noted that the Lagos State House of Assembly had called for a meeting and the stakeholders would address the issue.

The protesters on the platform of the Centre for Human And Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) hoisted several placards with various inscriptions, including ‘Approve our market now’, ‘Don’t throw us to the streets’, ‘Call Agboyi-Ketu LCDA chairman to order’, ‘Register Orilowo Perishable Food Market now’ and ‘Obasa must caution the Agboyi-Ketu LCDA chairman’. 

CHSR president Alex Omoteshinse, who led the protesters, said a petition was sent to the Lagos speaker, Mudashiru Obasa. He explained further the petitioners were members and traders on the platform of the Orilowo Perishable Foods Market Association.

Mr Omotehinse also said the petitioners had written a letter to Agboyi-Ketu LCDA seeking approval of a designated site. He alleged the council authority had refused to approve as requested by the association.

Omotehinse, therefore, pleaded with the Lagos government to intervene via the parliament.

The chairman of the market, Isiaka Abdullahi, said the association had registered the market appropriately.

Addressing the protesters on behalf of the speaker, Noheem Adams, the majority leader, said the matter was receiving the attention of the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He explained that representatives of the traders and other stakeholders would appear before the committee on January 9.

While reiterating the speaker’s commitment to the welfare of the people, Mr Adams thanked the protesters for being peaceful.

(NAN)