The proposed nationwide membership registration/revalidation exercise of the All Progressives Congress will no longer begin on Monday as earlier announced.
This was contained in a statement titled “Notice”, signed by the Secretary of the Caretaker/National Convention Planning Committee of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, in Abuja, on Saturday.
The statement read, “We sincerely apologise on the postponement of the proposed All Progressives Congress party registration which was scheduled to take place on Monday 25th of January, 2021, now put on hold till further notice to be declared by the state chairman.
“We, therefore, implore all members and stakeholders, well-wishers and lovers willing to join our great party to put on hold till directive comes from above. Thanks for your cooperation.”
Features story
Stranded traders at the popular Katangowa market in Abule-Egba area of Lagos have called on the state government to allocate them a permanent space to continue running their businesses in safety and comfort.
Katangowa is a thriving second-hand wares market, mechanic village and other petty businesses that was demolished by the state government in February 2020 for the proposed development of the Lagos ICT Business Park (Computer Village).
The demolition however displaced many traders and residents in the area.
Mrs Tina, A tailor who amends and designs second ware outfits in the market and had been in the market for about 12 years, expressed her displeasure at the new development. She complained of how expensive the newly on going construction that will serve as a replacement are and how the demolition and reconstruction in general has made things difficult.l
Mrs Tina disclosed to us that a rent fee of about 1,500/2000 naira a year was what was been paid at the previous location, which she said is ridiculously higher to what is been charged now for the new location. She said they are been charged 200,000 naira for a space for 2 years by developers and she doubts the Lagos State government is aware of that.
Another Tailor who wished to remain anonymous said.
‘the most scary thing about the payment is that it’s temporal. We have no idea when they’ll come to demolish it again. We are neither safe nor comfortable. Hoodlums steal from us everytime because this new place isn’t safe for our machines compared to the old place that was demolished’.
She appeals to the government to approach traders directly and not use developers as intermediaries. She said money is been paid into faceless accounts to secure spaces in the on going construction of the new market but no one is addressing them.
A resident of the abule egba area of Katangowa, Mrs. Kemi a petty trader, expressed her pain for the demolished shops, houses, and schools in the area. She said government officials keep writing ‘remove house’s on buildings of innocent residents.
According to her, there was no prior information to alert the residents of a demolition and no compensation was made either after it. She revealed that some lost their properties, shops, houses and schools to this new development, while some returned to their villages from lack of means of livelihood anymore.
Another resident, Akinsola Imoleayo cried out in plea to the government to find a lasting solution to the abandoned road construction in the area. She claimed that it had become a threat to their life and security as a result of exposure of their houses to hoodlums from fences that were tore down.
Further investigation was carried out at the department of Works and Infrastructure in the Alimosho Local Government, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area and it was gathered that contrary to the statement of residents and traders that they were not informed before the demolition, the government has been giving the residents and traders notice for about 2 years.
Officials at the department who chose to remain anonymous stated that the land which the Katangowa market is on is a government acquired land. They advised people to make proper research before purchasing lands in the future.
They also revealed that the demolition in the area which also affected their legislative house, fellowship and mosque was what they and residents in the area saw coming because the ministry invited all residents to a meeting before the demolition commenced.
An official in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Alausa, said the residents and traders who were affected by the demolition shouldn’t expect a compensation. He stated that compensation can only be made if the affected can produce an ownership title to the land which no of them could produce as it is a government land.
He debunked the rumour that no prior notice was given to the residents and traders saying that there is a evidence of notice which must have been taking lightly by the nonchalant attitude of traders.
He also debunked rumours and claims to developers and said that Lagos State Government do not make use of developers. He said the Katangowa market is an unapproved trading spot and as such, no alternative can be provided for traders as the land space is solely for the purpose of a new Computer Village.
However, the former project officer in charge of the Katangowa rehabilitation office in the ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Alausa, said there is a plan to resettle the original traders. He said shops are under construction, usage has commenced, shops are built in blocks from A-M and there are plans to relocate them into the blocks of shops. This does not however disrupt the total usage of the former Katangowa market for the processed relocation of Computer Village Ikeja, to Alimosho.
Stranded traders at the popular Katangowa market in Abule-Egba area of Lagos have called on the state government to allocate them a permanent space to continue running their businesses in safety and comfort.
Katangowa is a thriving second-hand wares market, mechanic village and other petty businesses that was demolished by the state government in February 2020 for the proposed development of the Lagos ICT Business Park (Computer Village).
The demolition however displaced many traders and residents in the area.
Mrs Tina, A tailor who amends and designs second ware outfits in the market and had been in the market for about 12 years, expressed her displeasure at the new development. She complained of how expensive the newly on going construction that will serve as a replacement are and how the demolition and reconstruction in general has made things difficult.l
Mrs Tina disclosed to us that a rent fee of about 1,500/2000 naira a year was what was been paid at the previous location, which she said is ridiculously higher to what is been charged now for the new location. She said they are been charged 200,000 naira for a space for 2 years by developers and she doubts the Lagos State government is aware of that.
Another Tailor who wished to remain anonymous said.
‘the most scary thing about the payment is that it’s temporal. We have no idea when they’ll come to demolish it again. We are neither safe nor comfortable. Hoodlums steal from us everytime because this new place isn’t safe for our machines compared to the old place that was demolished’.
She appeals to the government to approach traders directly and not use developers as intermediaries. She said money is been paid into faceless accounts to secure spaces in the on going construction of the new market but no one is addressing them.
A resident of the abule egba area of Katangowa, Mrs. Kemi a petty trader, expressed her pain for the demolished shops, houses, and schools in the area. She said government officials keep writing ‘remove house’s on buildings of innocent residents.
According to her, there was no prior information to alert the residents of a demolition and no compensation was made either after it. She revealed that some lost their properties, shops, houses and schools to this new development, while some returned to their villages from lack of means of livelihood anymore.
Another resident, Akinsola Imoleayo cried out in plea to the government to find a lasting solution to the abandoned road construction in the area. She claimed that it had become a threat to their life and security as a result of exposure of their houses to hoodlums from fences that were tore down.
Further investigation was carried out at the department of Works and Infrastructure in the Alimosho Local Government, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area and it was gathered that contrary to the statement of residents and traders that they were not informed before the demolition, the government has been giving the residents and traders notice for about 2 years.
Officials at the department who chose to remain anonymous stated that the land which the Katangowa market is on is a government acquired land. They advised people to make proper research before purchasing lands in the future.
They also revealed that the demolition in the area which also affected their legislative house, fellowship and mosque was what they and residents in the area saw coming because the ministry invited all residents to a meeting before the demolition commenced.
An official in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Alausa, said the residents and traders who were affected by the demolition shouldn’t expect a compensation. He stated that compensation can only be made if the affected can produce an ownership title to the land which no of them could produce as it is a government land.
He debunked the rumour that no prior notice was given to the residents and traders saying that there is a evidence of notice which must have been taking lightly by the nonchalant attitude of traders.
He also debunked rumours and claims to developers and said that Lagos State Government do not make use of developers. He said the Katangowa market is an unapproved trading spot and as such, no alternative can be provided for traders as the land space is solely for the purpose of a new Computer Village.
However, the former project officer in charge of the Katangowa rehabilitation office in the ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Alausa, said there is a plan to resettle the original traders. He said shops are under construction, usage has commenced, shops are built in blocks from A-M and there are plans to relocate them into the blocks of shops. This does not however disrupt the total usage of the former Katangowa market for the processed relocation of Computer Village Ikeja, to Alimosho.