Officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment have clamped down on roadside telephone operators in Ikeja, Maryland and Agege.

The officials destroyed the stalls and kiosks after seizing GSM handsets belonging to the operators.

Unlike in other operations whereby traders are arrested along with their seized goods, none of the telephone operators was arrested.

In an interview with a KAI official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “it is the policy of the state government to make Lagos clean and be ready for the status of a mega city.”

He said the government was determined to get rid of all categories of street traders. He appealed to youths to look for shops to operate their businesses.

Some of the operators who spoke with P.M.News wondered what the government wanted them to do in the face of massive unemployment in the country.

Uche Ogochukwu, one of the operators whose kiosk was taken away by KAI officials around Hilton Bus Stop on Allen Avenue, lamented the hardship he had gone through before raising money to set up the business.

A customer who witnessed the raid condemned the action of the government, saying it would soon lose its popularity among the populace.

“The government should softpedal in the way they are displacing people from their petty businesses, otherwise the people will soon turn against their policies,” he warned.

http://thepmnews.com/2008/05/06/kai-clamps-down-on-roadside-phone-operators

What's your point?
Do you want us to debate whether its a good policy or not?

What hope for the common man? What becomes of those whose goods were seized? Is this the best way to go about making Lagos a mega city? I don't smile at street trading but what provisions is there for the deprived? Our govt do things in hurry hurry without making alternative arrangement.

bluehorizo:

What hope for the common man? What becomes of those whose goods were seized? Is this the best way to go about making Lagos a mega city? I don't smile at street trading but what provisions is there for the deprived? Our govt do things in hurry hurry without making alternative arrangement.

It's actually a dilema!!. We all want beautiful city like Abuja, yet we are NOT ready to make the sacrificies because of the obvious hunger in the land.

It's always difficult really,

I hope they soon move on to okada riders and street hawkers! they make life a complete misery in lagos

angel101:

I hope they soon move on to okada riders and street hawkers! they make life a complete misery in lagos

And what other means do you want them to use in feeding their families ? if not what they are doing now ?

big father:

And what other means do you want them to use in feeding their families ? if not what they are doing now ?

Abi o. Why not give them options first before putting sand sand inside their Garri.

i really feel for the common ma/woman but i think actions like that have to be taken if we want a model lagos state,even in the uk ,the building regulators dont compromise when it comes to getting planning permission and im sure the same obtains in the states, lagosians will have to endure these kind of actions from the government because the state will be better for it, i only hope he will try and give them an alternative place for their business

[size=16pt] Agberos!!! Lagos Style[/size]


Those men do not deserve government's respect at all cause they destroy lagos with their wares. DESTROY them all. Destroy their Properties.

[size=16pt] Government  sanctioned Agberos!   The only way to clean up lagos is to maltreat those who do not conform !!!

Forget rule of law!! treat them like animals YEAH!![/size] Wooohooo!!!!

big father:

And what other means do you want them to use in feeding their families ? if not what they are doing now ?

I think if they start wearing helmets and hi-vis jackets like they were directed to; people will be more tolerant of them especially if they ride sensibly- _{they should also be mandated to start insuring their bikes and passengers!}

I think if they start wearing helmets and hi-vis jackets like they were directed to; people will be more tolerant of them especially if they ride sensibly- they should also be mandated to start insuring their bikes and passengers!

that would be very interesting. i am trying to imaging a hot and sweaty okada rider under the sun, trying to get you to join him and wear another dirty and stuffy helmet under the very very hot sun.

Aaarrggghh!!!! So no one feels these men were maltreated by Government officials in the name of Cleaning up Nigeria?? No one is even considering what the rights of these men as citizens of Nigeria is All this is about is making them pay for dirtying up lagos? hhhmmmmm

OH Well ,

[size=16pt]
Those men do not deserve government's respect at all cause they destroy lagos with their wares. DESTROY them all. Destroy their Properties.

[/size]

[size=16pt] Government sanctioned Agberos! The only way to clean up lagos is to maltreat those who do not conform !!!

Forget rule of law!! treat them like animals YEAH!![/size] Wooohooo!!!!

This is what happens when every other state fails to develop due to wickedness and greediness and selfishness of leaders. How does this relate to Lagos' predicament you might ask? If other states in the country developed their capital cities and even towns and could provide decent employment etc for indigenes of that state, not everybody would be in a hurry to run to lagos and make a state and city already suffering from overpopulation and a serious area boy problem that has been the misery of residents even worse. Before the spotlight was turned on Abuja a few years ago, lagos was the only viable option. One serious way of decongesting lagos is if there was a spread of development in other areas and cities in the country. Too bad lagos is the only place right now that seems to be receiving serious leadership which means this trend is not about to be reversed anytime soon. Cities that could immediately be developed to absorb this apart from Abuja and Lagos are cities like Port Harcourt, Calabar, Kano and even Warri. Port Harcourt is just in shambles and has been that way for quite a while now, no thanks to the insurgence of fools and thieves instead of leaders in the past 9 years.