The Peoples Democratic Party in the South West has described the planned displacement of over 50,000 traders at the popular Katangowa Market in Lagos State by the state government without provision of alternative settlement as wicked and inhuman.
The PDP said: “The Governor Babatunde Fashola-led Action Congress of Nigeria government in Lagos State has shown clear enough that it hates the masses.”
The PDP said only a devilish government would attempt to render over 50,000 traders jobless less than two months after it sent over 50,000 okada riders out of business.
“In a statement issued today by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon Kayode Babade, the PDP said even if the traders were occupying government land as claimed by Governor Fashola, they still deserved to be protected by the government.
The party asked: “Haven’t they been paying levies to the government (both local council and state)?”
Governor Fashola, during a tour of facilities in the Lagos metropolis visited the market and told the traders that the government had no plan to relocate them to another area, as they were not the rightful owners of the land.
The governor said the 17 hectares of land being occupied by the traders belonged to the state government and the government was not ready to pay compensation to illegal occupants on its land.
Reacting, the PDP said: “It is now glaring that Governor Fashola and his party, the ACN hate the masses with passion. If not, how on earth can a governor open his mouth to address Katangowa traders who have been trading in the area for about 30 years that they won’t be relocated to another place because they have occupied the place illegally?
“Is Fashola and his ACN now the government? Are the people of Lagos State no longer the government? If the land is owned by the government, is it not owned in trust for the people and isn’t the government put in place to serve the interests of the people?
“Over 50,000 Okada riders were rendered jobless less than two months ago with over 5,000 okada already destroyed and many of the okada riders killed. Now over 50,000 katangowa market traders are set to be rendered jobless.
“Let’s assume each of these 100,000 Lagos residents has two dependants, it translates to 300,000 lives.
“Meaning Fashola is happy that his government is taken food away from the tables of 300,000 Lagosians? This is devilish!
“We therefore wish to appeal to well-meaning Lagosians to rise in defense of the masses that Fashola and his party, the ACN are killing daily with their government’s wicked anti-masses policies.”