Recently, the state government banned all forms of street trading and hawking across the state.
How are the street traders and hawkers are complying with this new directive?
Correspondent Chibuzor Okoye went round Awka metropolis to ascertain level of compliance.
When the ABS news crew visited some major roads and strategic junctions where street traders and hawkers cause unwanted vehicular and traffic gridlock in Awka such as Arroma junction, Amenyi, Eke Awka, UNIZIK junction among others, it was observed that reasonable compliance to the order was noticed as street traders and hawkers were hardly seen around the areas.
A hawker, who hailed from Ezeagu in Enugu State but declined to give his name said that he is not happy with the new law, as he has no money to rent shop anywhere in the state.
He however affirmed that he was aware of the risks associated with their style of business and appealed to the state government to regulate their activities rather than outright ban, as most of them have nothing to do apart from hawking.
A woman Mrs. Rose Sunday who is a native of Ebonyi state and hawks groundnut at Eke Awka said that she can relocate to a shop if given the opportunity, and appealed to the state government to give them some time for them to move inside markets of their choice across the
state.
A commercial driver, Mr. Kingsley Ugwu pointed out that though the street trading and hawking are dangerous, they make shopping less stressful for commuters.
Reacting to the development, the Special Assistant to the Governor on market affairs, Mr. Sunday Nwasah said the current administration in the state has the interest of all the traders in the state at heart, hence the ban on street trading and hawking to instill sanity, discipline and ensure their safety.
Mr. Nwasah urged them to key into the soft loans government is giving to small and medium enterprises to boost their trade as government is desirous of making the state an investment destination.
Comments are closed for this post.