The closure of two strategic markets — under coronavirus concerns — has aggravated suffering of families across the oil-rich state.
As the coronavirus pandemic triggered panic across Nigeria in March, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike ordered the closure of all major markets in the state as part of his government’s containment measures to flatten the curve of new infections.
With the phased reopening of the economy, trading activities have since resumed across Rivers markets following a new directive by the governor.
Mr. Wike has, however, kept the Oginiba Slaughter and Oil Mill markets under lock and key, thereby depriving marketers — largely female breadwinners — of their source of livelihood.
During the Easter holidays in April, the state government had eased the lockdown and reopened all markets for two days to enable residents shop for supplies. Governor Wike, nonetheless, insisted on the closure of Oginiba Slaughter, Oil Mill and Mbiama markets.
While Mbiama market has since been reopened, the governor hinged his decision to keep Oginiba Slaughter and Oil Mill markets shut, citing alleged failure of traders to comply with COVID-19 safety protocols. This has crippled the income streams of many male and female-headed households, who eked out a living from petty trading at the closed markets.
The Oginigba Slaughter market is densely populated with about 3,000 traders, including butchers, Peoples Gazette understands.
While some women had resorted to street trading behind the Port Harcourt Zoo to compensate for their locked shops, others have migrated to Okujagu village, located behind the zoo to trade.
Some other traders are, however, scavenging for any available spot to display their wares while bearing the brunt of harsh weather conditions.
Benedicta Edodi, a stranded grocery seller, told the Gazette that she had just paid her rent and restocked her shop at Oginiba Slaughter market five days before the lockdown.
“We thought we would go on holiday and return in two weeks,” Mrs. Edodi said.
She said rather than keeping the money she had saved, she decided instead to pay her shop lease on March 15. She paid N120,000 for rent and N30,000 worth of groundnut oil for sale.
Mrs. Edodi said the hardship her family has endured was compounded by her husband’s slashed wages following the pandemic.
Mrs. Edodi disclosed that all efforts to plead with authorities at the market to allow her to retrieve some goods at her shop for her family’s upkeep fell on deaf ears.
“All the food items I took home have finished. I begged the people in the market to allow me enter my shop to pick my things but they refused,” she said.
She narrated that when managers of the market finally allowed traders to move out their articles, most of the goods had been damaged.
“All the groundnut oil has spilled, nothing remains,” she sobbed. “I can’t pay the balance of N35,000 for the oil.”
A single mother, Ibinabo Anthony, who relies on her foodstuffs business at the market to fund the education of her son and siblings, told the Gazette that sustaining three square meals had become a luxury.
“I have lots of debt and I have told all my siblings to stop school,” Ms. Anthony, a graduate of Secretarial Administration said.
Like other traders, Paradise Sunday, a widow with five children has appealed to Governor Wike to reopen the market in consideration of her plight.
Mrs. Sunday, who has spent over 15 years at Oginiba Slaughter market, told the Gazette that she has resorted to street hawking to fend for her children and grandchildren.
Leader of the slaughter market, Baba Musa Ahmed told the Gazette that roadside traders, including those at Okujagu village were suffering from illegal taxation which were nonexistent when the market was in operation.
The Oil Mill market, largely dominated by female traders, has been touted to see activities from over 5,000 traders on a weekly basis, with many marketers from the Southeast conveying their wares to the market every Wednesday.
Oil Mill is commonly referred to as the “market for all,” where traders — mostly clothe dealers from other markets in Rivers —converge for massive sales on Wednesdays.
Ngozi Omenegu, who has 12 children, was once a shop owner at the busy Oil Mill market before the state government ordered its closure. She now sells her vegetables by the roadside.
Mrs. Omeagu told the Gazette that the shutdown of the market has resulted in multiple taxation by hooligans operating in the area, who constantly harass and molest women.
“Only today, I have paid N2,000 as ticket fee from different people. As a woman I don’t have the strength to argue, else they will scatter my onions. The ticket we pay selling on the road side is more than what we paid in the market”, she said.
Although the state government had abolished all forms of taxation in the market, while also taking it up a notch to suspend some local council officials for failing to implement the directive, the practice had continued undeterred.
“I didn’t go to school, this is the business I use to feed and train my children,” Ms. Omeagu said, while appealing to Governor Wike to reopen the market in lieu of the danger of trading by the roadside.
Taunted by the impact of the shutdown of Oil Mill and Oginiba markets, traders in other areas have complained of poor sales. Others grumbled about incessant harassment by security agents, who accost them by the roadside and seize their goods.
Ejike Okumgba, a livestock seller at Rumuola market who had purchased items for sale on credit, narrated his experience when he was arrested by agents of the state taskforce.
“They arrested me, took me to Elekahia police station and made me bail myself with N40,000. At the time I was released the same day, officials of the taskforce had shared my cow meat worth N350,000. I am still indebted and unable to clear the debt till now,” Mr. Okumgba said.
Another livestock seller at Mgbouba market, Wale Adebayo, told the Gazette: “They (Rivers taskforce) arrested me and my brother with my cow meat in the morning and took us to their office opposite mile one park flyover. Before I bailed myself, my goods worth N700,000 had been shared, nothing remained to take home.”
Many traders also told the Gazette that they were yet to benefit from the federal government’s funding initiatives for small and medium scale enterprises.
Veronica Nweni, chairlady at the Rumuola market told the Gazette that none out of over 300 traders at the market had received any loan or palliative from the government as assistance for their businesses.
“Traders in this market have been searching for a place to get a loan, we haven’t seen yet. We are unaware of the federal government’s support,” Mrs. Nweni said.
Governor Wike had recently disclosed that the Oginigba Slaughter market will be rebuilt and handed over to competent managers.
Experts speak
An economist, Olamide Adeboboye, described the ongoing situation in the two Rivers markets as a serious economic concern.
She advised the traders to take legal action against the state government for shutting down the markets and stifling their means of livelihood.
But a public affairs commentator, Higher King, said the traders may not have sufficient grounds to sue the government based on the reasons for which the governor had shut down the markets.
“There is no law that restricts the governor from shutting down a market,” Mr. King said. He admitted that markets can be shut down to enforce public safety, but the masses should not suffer.
Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman Coalition of Rivers Civil Society Organisations advised the state government to make alternative arrangements for the stranded traders.
Government reacts
Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Eke Solomon, denied knowledge of illegal taxation.
Mr. Solomon told the Gazette that since the governor had shut down the markets, it was illegal for traders to resort to street trading.
He, however, said efforts were underway to resolve the issues in a manner that would see the traders return to business while ensuring that public safety is not jeopardised.
This report is supported by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism as part of its COVID-19 reality check programme.
