Sapele Traders Appeal Ban on ‘Roadside Trading’, Seek Governor Oborevwori’s Intervention

By Endurance Ikanone

Traders at the Sapele Main Market are crying out for help, accusing the local government Chairman, Hon. Bright Abeke of inflicting pain on them with his new order to trade inside their various stores.

The traders, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, claim that Chairman Abeke’s decision is ill-timed and inconsiderate, as many of them share small stores that cannot accommodate their goods.

According to one of the traders, “We are not against the idea of trading inside our stores, but Chairman Abeke should allow us to trade in front of our vendors.”

The traders argued that some of their goods, such as tomatoes and pepper, are perishable and require fresh air to prevent them from getting rotten or spoiled quickly. “How can we display these goods inside a store?” one of the traders asked. “It’s not feasible, and it will only lead to losses for us traders.” The traders are calling on Chairman Abeke to reconsider his decision and allow them to trade in front of their vendors.

Another trader lamented, “We don’t have stores of our own, so we look for small spaces to display our goods. This is how we feed our families and care for our aged parents. Chairman Abeke’s decision is like a death sentence to us.”

The traders are appealing to Chairman Abeke to reconsider his decision. They are also calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene in the matter, urging him to use his good office to alleviate their suffering.

“We borrowed money to trade and we pay back with interest,” said one of the traders. “If nothing is done to address our plight, we will suffer greatly. We are counting on Governor Oborevwori to come to our aid and save us from this predicament.”

The traders’ cry for help has raised questions about the council’s commitment to the welfare of traders in the market.

Efforts to reach the council secretary, Hon Raymond Overah, on phone calls for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.