Traders from the demolished Owonifari electronic Market, Oshodi yesterday rejected the Lagos State Government’s plans to relocate them to Oshodi Resettlement Market (former Isopakodowo market), citing structural instability and several spiritual activities associated with the structure as their reason for the rejection.
They added that the available space in the market cannot accommodate them.
The refurbished Isopakowodowo Market, where the affected traders were asked to move to was commissioned by the former governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, now Minister for Works, Power and Housing. It was commissioned two years ago on January 7, 2014.
When Vanguard visited the market yesterday, none of the market stalls had been opened for business since it was commissioned.
Inside the market, officials of the Lagos State Public Works Commissio, LSPWC were sighted rehabilitating the floor.
Mr. Rasaq Adeyemi, one of the affected traders, said the government did not allocate Isopakodowo market to anyone.
His words “No one is interested in the market because of the incident that happened two years ago when a part of the market sunk.
‘’Up till now, we have not heard anything from the state government. Do they want displaced traders of Owonifari to also suffer what happened two years ago. I doubt if the foundation is strong because if it is, that incident shouldn’t have occurred.”
Another trader, Mrs. Halimah Dosu, who had been trading in the demolished market for over 20 years, said she was not ready to go to the new market.
She stated that since it was commissioned, no trader had used it adding that she is scared to move there because of the incident that happened two years ago.
According to her, “People lost their lives. They had families just like we do. If such thing occurs when we move in, what will be the fate of our families? Can the place accommodate us? This week has been bad for every one of us. Most of the traders here are landlords, few are tenants. Everyone is at a loss. We want another place not that market.”
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