Members of civil society organization, Ambassadors for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation, AMPEF, a.k.a Voice of the voiceless, alongside their President, Comrade Saviour Iche and traders on Wednesday marched on the streets to protest the closure of markets in Mushin area of Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that some of the protesters displayed placards with different inscriptions asking the State Government to allow the poor to breathe over the closure, which affected four major markets with thousands of traders left stranded.
The group reacted over the closure by LAWMA since Sunday which has attracted condemnation by all and sundry.
The markets affected included, Awolowo Ultra Modern, Odi Olowo, Ojuwoye Mushin, Ojuwoye Market Odi Olowo Mushin, Mushin Main Market, Daleko Market Mushin and Odo Ashimowu Market Mushin.
The closure has caused serious damage as the traders especially those selling food items and edible goods have lost their goods worth millions of Naira as they were wasted.
The President of AMPF, Prince Ichie, asked the government to open the markets as a matter of urgency to prevent more losses and warned that if the market were not reopened within 12 hours, the group will take legal actions against the Lagos State Government for the damage their action had caused the traders.
Comrade Iche explained that most of the traders are low income earners and depend on daily income to survive with their families but the Government acted as if it was insensitive despite the fact that there is hardship already in Nigeria.
He stated that reports the group was getting as feedbacks from the traders after the closure, indicated that most of the traders could not feed their families or even send their children to school because they depend on daily sales to survive.
He asked the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to remember that it was the same traders he met months ago and solicited for their votes during the electioneering campaign and they voted for him, that it is the same traders his administration has subjected to untold hardship.
He noted that LAWMA claimed that the Government closed the markets because of environmental concerns, stating that it is the same LAWMA which could not put a single waste basket in those closed markets and other markets unlike in the past.
Comrade Iche stated that LAWMA has no moral rights to talk about environmental issues because other markets and areas including their premises have not been addressed.
He further revealed that before the closure, he got information from the market leaders that there was no notice or warnings and they just went to the markets with impunity to cause pain to the people in the State.
P.M.EXPRESS gathered that it was not the first time LAWMA had causing havoc at markets in the State; they had done similar thing in the past and shut the Mile 12 Market, where the traders incurred heavy losses because the foods items brought from the Northern part of Nigeria to Lagos all got damaged.