Ministry, Council Sensitise Traders On Dangers Of Roadside Trading

The Calabar Municipal Local Government Council, in conjunction with the Cross River Ministry of Environment, yesterday, began sensitisation of traders at Mariah Market, Calabar, on the dangers of trading on roadsides.
The Council Chairman, Hon. Effefiong Nta, who led the sensitisation recalled that the traders had earlier been given a seven-day ultimatum to move off the roadsides or face eviction.
The seven-day ultimatum ends today.
“We are embarking on this sensitisation campaign, to educate business owners on the dangers of such debased practices and to remind them of the impending eviction,” he said.
Nta decried the unhygienic state of the market due to the illegal trading, describing the environment as unfriendly.
He said that with all modalities in place, his administration would stop at nothing in ensuring that the market was rid of such anomalies.
The chairman questioned the wisdom behind the traders’ resorting to roadside marketing, leaving well built shops empty in the market.
Reacting, a trader, Mrs Aniedi Peter, said she was in support of the eviction notice, adding that with the implementation of the order, sanity would return to the market.
However, a roadside trader, Mrs Mary Bassey, blamed the situation on lack of business capitals by such traders and money to pay for shops.
“Everybody knows it is not good to trade by the roadsides, but I don’t have money to rent a shop inside the market,” she said.