The leadership of the market is embroiled in a power tussle with the developers, Total Value Integrated Services Limited, the company that has been designated by Mushin Local Government Council to embark on the re-construction of 400 lock up shops on its own 60 per cent portion of the land.
But, one year after being presented with the offer of award as a developer, the company has been unable to move to site. The reason is the stiff resistance put up by the traders who have refused to vacate the market to pave way for the re-construction exercise, which is to span six months.
However, the intervention of The Igbo Conscience (TIC), a not-for-profit organisation, seems to have offered some respite, albeit temporarily, for the traders.
A resolution which culminated into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the local government, the developer and the market leadership has been reached. There is now an extension of two months, effective from July 31to September 30, for the traders to vacate the market.
Prior to last week’s meeting, the traders had until Friday July 31 to vacate the market for the re-construction work. But the intervention of the Igbo group saved the day
The brokered truce and MoU were signed by TIC’s interim Chairman, Mr. Onyekachi Ubani and supported by the All Progressive Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, Chairman, Ladipo Main Market Traders Association, Mr. Kingsley Ogwunor and his Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Chukuka Nnamdi. The truce brought an end to a disagreement which might have resulted into a breakdown of law and order in Lagos.
The meeting, which held inside the office of the Executive Secretary of Mushin Local Government Area, Mr. Babajide Bello, resolved that the traders would vacate the 60 percent space of the local government on or before September 30, with a promise that the developer would have unhindered access to the market without any form of harassment or intimidation.
It was also agreed that upon completion of the 400 lock-up shops, priority would be given to traders that had occupied the market prior to the commencement of the re-construction work, with a proviso that they possess valid allocation papers while those without valid allocation papers would be treated as fresh tenants at a rent fee to be determined by the local Government.
Also, it was resolved that the re-construction work would be carried out in two phases and not spanning a period beyond six months. There was also a promise that the developer would provide the traders a temporary makeshift shop to accommodate them pending the completion of reconstruction works.
The MoU equally mandated the leadership of the market, led by its Chairman, Mr. Kingsley Ogwunor,to withdraw all litigations against the local government and the developer, which are pending in different courts.
The Mou which was read to all parties present, including the executives and members of the traders association by the Council Legal Officer, Mrs. Akin-Ajayi, expressed satisfaction with the Mou and promised to carry out all resolutions contained in it.
Earlier, Bello expressed gratitude to members of the Igbo Conscience Group for their speedy intervention, dispelling insinuations that the council was out to frustrate the traders because they did not vote for APC.
“All these rumours being bandied about are false. The market is for you traders. We have lived together for over 25 years, and we consider you as being part of us. The government in Lagos is out to respect your fundamental rights but that must be done within the ambit of the law. No responsible government will allow citizens to take the law into their hands,” he said
Also speaking, Managing Director of Total Value Integrated Services Limited, Mr. Simon Onyekachi was full of praises to Bello and members of the conscience group for their timely intervention.
Onyekachi while admitting that his decision to shift ground by giving the traders an additional two months extension was a tough and difficult decision. But he said he had to back down in the interest of peace, lamenting that interest rate on sums that he borrowed from the bank was accumulating, hence his decision to move to site as soon as possible.
But he has a warning: “They have given their words to vacate on that date. But should there be a breach on their part, I would use every legitimate means to eject them out of the market to ensure that the project commences on October 1, 2015. I have suffered enough loss and cannot continue to incur further losses. I can’t be frustrated out of the project. And by God’s grace, there would be no going back on the planned re-development of Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market,” he said.
The Total Value Integrated boss explained that since last year, the authorities of Mushin Local Government have discontinued further collection of rents from shop owners to give them reprieve for the period the construction work would last.
But some shop owners, according to Onyekachi, have alleged that they have paid the executives shop rents covering the whole of this year. And this, he said, could have formed part of the resistance on the part of the executive members because that would mean them refunding money to some of the shop owners who have paid rents to cover the rest of 2015.
On his part, he assured that each shop owner under the old system would be given consideration and priority when construction work on the new market is concluded
“But the clause attached to this gesture is that, such shop owner must be able to prove that he is occupying the old shop legally. They must be able to provide their shop allocation papers as given by the local government. But up till this moment, no one has been able to present his shop allocation paper/approval,” he disclosed.
Going down memory lane, Onyekachi said he got the offer of award as a developer on 22nd October, 2014 in line with the mission of the Lagos State Mega City Project from Mushin Local Government.
He explained that the designation of his firm as the developer was sequel to the application it made, having satisfied the entire requirements of the bidding process and upon the recommendation of the Tenders Board to re-develop the local government’s portion of the market.
However, he stated that trouble started over one year ago, when he tried to move in to commence the re-construction of the market but met stiff resistance from the executive committee and board of trustees of the market, led by Ogwunor.
“We tried to arrange for a peaceful and amicable meeting, so that we can move to site and commence construction activities. But all my entreaties to ensure that peace reigns within the market met stiff opposition,” he lamented.
He said all efforts since last year to get the traders move out of the market, even after series of agreements, extensions and promissory assurances from them, have not yielded the expected results. The traders have been proving adamant, he stated.
On his part, Ubani thanked all parties for seeing reasons and shifting grounds, promising that he would ensure the smooth and strict implementation of the MoU to the letter, assuring that the traders would comply to all agreed terms as contained in the MoU.
He explained that the mutual understanding of the Igbo and Yoruba in Mushin Local Government Area dated back to the early 70s, stressing that they have co-habited and lived cordial lives devoid of rancour.
He advised the traders to be law-abiding citizens and shun any form of violence that would tarnish the image of the Igbo people as a race, while assuring that his kinsmen would live up to expectations henceforth.
In his response, Igbokwe assured the traders of their protection at all times. He said the Lagos State Government, as part of its plan to transform the economy of Lagos, would create a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive.
“Don’t let anyone deceive you that Lagos is no man’s land. Indeed, Lagos belongs to the indigenes. And that is the truth. Please, let all traders comport themselves in this state because the government will not condone any act of indiscipline and lawlessness,” he advised.
No comments:
Post a Comment