A few days ago, precisely on Thursday, August 2, 2012, Lagos State government passed into Law its
Traffic regulations. Meanwhile ban of hawking on Lagos roads have been in
existence since. Today, while on my way to the Victoria Island, I saw hawkers including
those displaying recharge cards, Gala, wallet, fruit drinks, soft drinks and
all manner of snacks, car phone chargers of all sizes, to name a few.
What came to my mind was how much of traffic law does the
hawker know about, especially in Lagos. His or her business is at stake and may
be running out very soon, because most of those patronizing them, especially for
recharge card sellers, will naturally decline due to the latest law on Lagos
Traffic, because motorists will avoid them like a plague, except for those who
will like to engage the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) in
either physical or court battle.
But I am sure most Lagosians are praying against either of
the two coming their ways, because which way one look at it, money and time
must be spent at the end of the day.
So, back to the hawkers on Lagos roads, who will educate
them on this new law, probably to think of another way of engagement for them
to remain in business and even eschew hawking as a method of business, after all,
Lagos has a ban on it too.
As if someone at Alausa read my thoughts earlier, on my way
back at Anthony, men of Lagos State against hawking, I think they call them KIA
brigade, but operating on mufti and unbranded Hiace bus; chased some hawkers
across the Ikorodu Expressway. Then I began to pray that no vehicle knocks
anyone of those down. Luckily we were in go-slow, so people were not speeding,
yet some hawkers, like the one that sales bottled fruit juice and soft drinks,
he has to throw his basket at the man chasing him for a catch, in order to
escape, while those drinks scattered on the ground.
Can someone please suggest another way for some of these
hawkers, especially those recharge card sellers, whose livelihood depends on
what he gets on daily basis from traffic sessions.
I am still wondering how they know where there is one
traffic session or another. Although, that question may form title for another
symposium, but have you realized that even traffics get levels and it’s not
every traffic that attracts hawkers.
Feel us in on your thoughts.
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