Encomium
We need your response about the crisis rocking Alade Market relocation?
We all agreed that the market is no longer ideal. We need to redevelop the place. We gave them two options, it is either they sit at home for two months while work is going on or we relocate them to another place in Ikorodu.
It is because the traders don’t want to go, that is why they are complaining. We will provide all necessary facilities for them. The Ministry of Environment gave us that structure to use. We said, within 50 days, we will finish work on the new site.
We learnt they were not properly informed, is it true?
That is not true. This journey started five years ago. I have documents to show for it. Around February this year, I went there for a stakeholders meeting.
We learnt they are to pay N150,000 and N5 million.
Five years ago, the council wanted to do a makeshift but marketers said a main shift should be done. The council said, it will cost N30,000 per occupant, the council even offered to pay half for them, so that they will only pay half too. N5 million is for new occupants while those that have shops will pay N150,000. The council subsidized it that is why it is this cheap.
Marketers are complaining about the new place?
They should make suggestion. They can suggest a place, we will accept their suggestion. They claim there will be flooding. The Ministry of the Environment will not approve the place if it is not ideal. They are just not being sincere, we have their interest at heart. The only thing we can do is to appeal to them. Some complain that they have old people among them. We promised to provide basement and not story buildings.
We also learnt you are giving out 280 shops only?
Officially, we are to give them 300 shops. We promised to finish the structure in 50 days. In our record, we have 500 occupants. What happened is that, they turned parking spaces to shops and outlets. No one will be left uncatered for. They should just move first.
They requested that you should give them time to do a facelift in Alade Market.
We gave them three years to look for sponsors, they did not succeed. They don’t have financial muscle to do it. Before immediate past Iya Oloja passed on, there was an agreement on ground. Everything is well documented. The traders are not just sincere. The government will welcome suggestions from them if they have any to give.
