24th October, 2016
The protest grounded all forms of buying and selling in the market as well as shutting down the Uselu/Ugbowo section of the Benin-Lagos highway for several hours.
Armed with various placards and market tools, the protesting women blocked the two sides of the highway and prevented vehicular movement, just as they resisted police intervention to remove them them from the road.
Many of the women spoke against paying N1.2 million per store being demanded by the Council, saying that it was too expensive for them to afford from the proceeds of their petty trade.
They said they were forced to protest when the Egor Council started destroying the make-shift stores they have been using for years in the market.
One of the women, Mrs Abieyuwa Osifo, who spoke to journalists yesterday accused the council of being insensitive to them, adding that they were paying different levies for their business at the market.
“When the plan to construct these lock-up stores came up, they (Council) had told us that the prices will be pocket friendly, especially to some of us involved in petty trading.
“But what do we have now, a price that most of us cannot afford. N1.2m for a store, there is no way many of us can afford that now. Even if things were okay, how do you expect that a woman who sells only salt and Maggi to cough out such”, she asked.
Also speaking, Mrs Celena Okon, one of the protesting women, described the council’s action as an act of wickedness, especially in view of the present economic situation in the country.
“What am I selling that you will force me to pay over a million naira for a single store? I believe they should be interested in the worth of our businesses as a single individual.
“Where do you expect a woman who sells only crayfish or tomatoes to get such a ridiculous amount of money to pay, when in actual fact, most are in dire need of additional fund to grow their businesses,” she said.
When contacted, the Council’s spokesperson, Mrs Prisca Ebvadiaro, declined to speak on the protest. A committee to handle the issue, it was learnt, has been set up.
Jethro Ibileke/Benin