– Adejola Adeyemi Crown
Abeokuta: It has continued to be an eyesore to see traders selling their goods and products on road medians and sidewalks especially at Sapon, Panseke, Ijaiye, Iyana Mortuary, Kuto, Itoku, Idi Aba and Adatan areas of Abeokuta the Ogun State capital thereby defacing the environment and obstructing human and vehicular movements.
Roads are constructed for specific purposes such as easing human movements as well as to beautify the environment but some major parts of Abeokuta metropolis are considered to be deviating from such reasons due to the unauthorized display of goods and products on road medians and sidewalks by traders thereby doing lots of harm to the society as well as negating the purpose for the construction of those multi-million naira road projects.
It would be recalled that the former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, FCA carried out massive road construction in Ogun State most especially in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital as well as the construction of ultra modern markets at Omida, Isale Igbehin, Itoku among others and was commissioned as part of programmes to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ogun State in 2016.
It is therefore worrisome and disheartening seeing traders defacing and obstructing human and vehicular movements in the state capital after the huge millions spent on massive road and market constructions.
According to a resident who spoke with Tropic Reporters urged traders displaying their goods and wares on road medians and sidewalks to desist from such unethical act and equally advised them to either get a shop, stall or obtain space at one of the modern markets built at strategic location in the metropolis to avoid unnecessary accident as well as traffic congestions.
He implored government and law enforcement agencies to wake up to their respective responsibilities to stop this act that has become one of our ways of life most especially in this part of the world.
Another respondent said, “accident can happen at anytime due to the movement of vehicles on the road as one needs to be careful and not too advisable to display goods and wares on the roads,”
It was also gathered that some traders actually wait till it’s evening before they set out their wares to avoid being caught by the law enforcement officers as it has continued to be an eyesore to see traders selling and trading on the roads.
