11-27-2017, 01:13 PM
Ebonyi Hawkers in Lagos Smile
By Philip Nweze
It is no longer contestable that human empowerment and wealth creation is at the heart of the current administration driven by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state.
This time around, no fewer than 520 street traders who are indigenes of the state and resident in Lagos joined the wagon after smiling home with 250, 000 naira each. This is 520 Ebonyians pulled out from the Lagos traffic.
The timing of the ongoing empowerment initiative by the Ebonyi state government couldn’t be more perfect. It is no longer news that Ebonyi state indigenes are rated as the lead street traders and hawkers in Nigeria. The rate at which Ebonyi youths are involved in street hawking across the country is giving the state governor and well - meaning Ebonyi people sleepless nights.
Aside the danger involved in street hawking, these boys die on a daily basis ; In 2016, one of them fell inside the lagoon running from Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials on Third Mainland Bridge . Another one fell from Maryland Bridge , before he could even land , a BRT bus rammed into him. A chip seller identified as an indigene of the state was also killed at First Gate, Festac , Lagos in 2015 by a hit and run driver. These and many more is the reason behind this interventionist role by the governor.
Recall also that the Lagos state Governor, Ambode Akinwunmi had in a live interview session on TVC, a Lagos based TV station in July 2016, declared that it would start total enforcement against street hawkers and buyers, with culprits liable to a fine of N90,000 or a six months jail, in line with Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
The beauty of the ongoing empowerment programme is its ability to mitigate the burden of hunger, poverty and exposure to life threatening circumstances, which are direct products of unemployment, by creating the enabling circumstances to take hawkers off the street and empower them to earn decent living. The first stage is data collation and registration to have a comprehensive data of hawkers of Ebonyi state extraction in Lagos which is the pilot state.
In an attempt to accomodate everyone the governor has further broadened the programme's reach. Genuine traders with identifiable shops and registered with any of the town unions from Ebonyi were also supported with unspecified cash with a view to strengthening their capacity and boosting their economic viability.
Now that the opportunity has been made available, the burden is on those privileged to be part of it to justify the goodwill of government by going all out to give it their best shot. To whom much is given, much is expected.
![[Image: 6320601_img20171127112552_jpegad552ca9b6...3c0cc769d3]](http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/6320601_img20171127112552_jpegad552ca9b659794ff192743c0cc769d3)
![[Image: 6320602_img20171127112614_jpeg5262a9ce92...b58906c290]](http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/6320602_img20171127112614_jpeg5262a9ce925072b18cbb30b58906c290)
![[Image: 6320603_img20171127112629_jpeg71204df04c...d4a21c196d]](http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/6320603_img20171127112629_jpeg71204df04cb7436a63c844d4a21c196d)
![[Image: 6320604_img20171127112641_jpeg16362f2ba0...9ed9fe3634]](http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/6320604_img20171127112641_jpeg16362f2ba082c0f833698e9ed9fe3634)
By Philip Nweze
It is no longer contestable that human empowerment and wealth creation is at the heart of the current administration driven by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state.
This time around, no fewer than 520 street traders who are indigenes of the state and resident in Lagos joined the wagon after smiling home with 250, 000 naira each. This is 520 Ebonyians pulled out from the Lagos traffic.
The timing of the ongoing empowerment initiative by the Ebonyi state government couldn’t be more perfect. It is no longer news that Ebonyi state indigenes are rated as the lead street traders and hawkers in Nigeria. The rate at which Ebonyi youths are involved in street hawking across the country is giving the state governor and well - meaning Ebonyi people sleepless nights.
Aside the danger involved in street hawking, these boys die on a daily basis ; In 2016, one of them fell inside the lagoon running from Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials on Third Mainland Bridge . Another one fell from Maryland Bridge , before he could even land , a BRT bus rammed into him. A chip seller identified as an indigene of the state was also killed at First Gate, Festac , Lagos in 2015 by a hit and run driver. These and many more is the reason behind this interventionist role by the governor.
Recall also that the Lagos state Governor, Ambode Akinwunmi had in a live interview session on TVC, a Lagos based TV station in July 2016, declared that it would start total enforcement against street hawkers and buyers, with culprits liable to a fine of N90,000 or a six months jail, in line with Section One of the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law 2003 which restricts street trading and hawking in the metropolis.
The beauty of the ongoing empowerment programme is its ability to mitigate the burden of hunger, poverty and exposure to life threatening circumstances, which are direct products of unemployment, by creating the enabling circumstances to take hawkers off the street and empower them to earn decent living. The first stage is data collation and registration to have a comprehensive data of hawkers of Ebonyi state extraction in Lagos which is the pilot state.
In an attempt to accomodate everyone the governor has further broadened the programme's reach. Genuine traders with identifiable shops and registered with any of the town unions from Ebonyi were also supported with unspecified cash with a view to strengthening their capacity and boosting their economic viability.
Now that the opportunity has been made available, the burden is on those privileged to be part of it to justify the goodwill of government by going all out to give it their best shot. To whom much is given, much is expected.