Traders from Gbagi Market, renowned for its fabric sales, staged a protest today at the Oyo State Secretariat against the planned demolition of their shops.
Hundreds of traders gathered in hopes of meeting Governor Seyi Makinde to appeal against the demolition notice they had recently received.
One of the traders, Mrs. Bukunmi Iyiola, expressed the traders’ concerns, emphasizing that the market serves as their primary source of livelihood.
She urged the government to consider the current economic hardship before proceeding with the demolition.
The Commissioner of Commerce, Hon. Niyi Adebisi, attempted to address the protesters but faced strong resistance, as many traders insisted on speaking directly with the governor.
In his explanation, Hon. Adebisi stated that only 30% of the market’s tenants are legal occupants, holding proper government allocation and paying annual dues.
This situation has significantly reduced the market’s potential to generate internal revenue for the government, prompting the decision to redevelop the market for better revenue generation.
However, many traders misunderstood the redevelopment plan as an outright demolition, which fueled the protest.
The Commissioner reassured the traders that those with valid shop allocation documents would regain their shops after the redevelopment.
He highlighted that the market redevelopment is part of the Oyo State government’s strategy to boost revenue and alleviate the economic burden on the people.
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