In Oyo, Sabo market traders decry dearth of facilities, say government is pococurante

By Aisha Waliyulah

Following the fire incident that occurred at Sabo market, one of the popular markets in Oyo town on Tuesday night, the traders have decried stark neglect by the government resulting from non provision of modern market facilities.

The traders led by its chairman, Alhaji Akibu Alarape, lamented the sorry state of the market, saying that the local government is just like a nestling baby bird; it grows, and flies away without reciprocal benefits to the “mother-market” that feeds it.

In a chart with News Live Nigeria, traders said such facilities as fencing, Police post, fire service, parking spaces, transformer, boreholes, admin block, refuse disposal vehicles, good road networks and drainage system are urgently needed.

However, the Sabo Market Traders Association of Oyo appealed to the state government as well as surrounding local government areas including LCDAs to come to their rescue, first to support those who lost their means of livelihood to the Inferno, and seeing to the provisions of modern market facilities.

“The governments are just pococurante, in that, huge sums of money are collected in the market on daily basis. There is practically nothing we traders benefit in return. Moreso, facility services like good road networks, water supply, toilet facilities and drainage among others are not provided for us. Governments must come to our rescue.”