By Paschal Okwor
Several traders at the popular Watt Market in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, have been displaced following a directive stopping the sale of farm and locally produced goods along the roadside.
The affected traders, many of whom depend on the daily sale of items such as fish, pepper, tomatoes and okra, say the directive has left them struggling to make a living amid the harsh economic reality.
Authorities say roadside trading creates hazards and contributes to traffic congestion along the road. But for some of the traders, the directive has created a new problem, as they have few or no alternative sources of income.
Some traders CrossRiverWatch interacted with, questioned why they were initially allowed to operate in the area and pay the required daily tickets and other charges before being asked to leave.
They alleged that they are sometimes made to pay outrageous amounts to a task force believed to hail from Calabar South Local Government Council. Some of the traders told our correspondent that they paid N15,000, N20,000, N30,000 or even more for to have those places for trading.
One of the Watt Market women leaders, Mrs. Mary Etim, said some of the affected traders already have shops inside the market but choose to sell by the roadside because of the easier access to customers.
“Some of those who were asked to leave the road have shops in the market but they prefer to take that chance and they make customers not be interested in approaching the inside market places.”
For some of the younger traders, the enforcement has also been difficult to understand.
Twelve-year-old Victory said traders sometimes lose their goods during enforcement exercises.
The sellers alleged that people would often come to destroy their produce or push them inside the gutters not minding if those same waste in the gutter will one day block the drainage.
While residents acknowledge the need to keep roads clear and reduce traffic hazards, they are calling for an approach that also considers the livelihoods of traders who depend on the market for their daily income.
They urged relevant government authorities to review the enforcement measures, provide suitable spaces for displaced traders and ensure that regulations at Watt Market are implemented in a way that protects both public safety and the livelihoods of ordinary people.
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