…Seek Rivers CSOs, human rights lawyers’ support
By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Traders who were recently sent packing from the Abali Park axis of Mile 1, Diobu, by the Port Harcourt City Council have hinted at the possibility of going to court to seek for redress.
Some of the traders, who lamented their ordeal to newsmen on Saturday in Port Harcourt, said their forceful eviction from Abali site had abruptly obstructed their sources of livelihood.
They expressed disappointment that they were not given enough time to make alternative arrangements while no new site was provided for them irrespective of the money they paid to agents of the Port Harcourt City Council.
They wondered how they would survive without a place to sell their goods and services given the hard economic situation in the country.
“At least they should consider our situation. We are only hustling for ourselves here, looking for what to eat. It’s not that we’re staying there free of charge. We’re paying for the spaces we’re using there. We used to pay to the Council task force, I mean Port Harcourt City Council. Market people also collect their levy from us everyday.
“Now they don remove us from there, destroying our tables. What do they want us to do? Okay, what of our money that we paid? Since they no want make we stay there, let them pay us back our money,” Nwokedi, one of the affected traders, lamented.
On whether they have appealed to the Port Harcourt City Council authorities for a refund of their money or for compensation, another affected trader, Ufon Sunday, said they tried to plead with the City Council authorities but were not given a listening ear.
“My brother, that day was something else. We tried to beg them but they no even give us face. They just dey shout say make we go meet the people we paid money to. That they did not send any task force to collect money from us. “Security people were even ready to beat anybody who talked. I just managed to carry my things and run that day, otherwise they for destroy everything. We no even know say dem dey come,” he explained.
The traders appealed to the city council to consider their plight and assist them with compensation, adding that they would not want to be forced to go to court to seek for redress despite that being an option.
“They should just help us with small compensation to look for another place. Or let them give us another place to stay and do our business. We will still be paying our tax as we dey pay before. That levy they used to collect from us is our own levy and we dey pay am everyday.
“We’re not here to quarrel or make case with anybody. We’re only here to do our business as people are doing in other places.
“So, we will not allow our own business to die like that after paying money for the space. If they insist that they will not assist us with compensation, we may take our matter to court for justice,” one of the traders said.
Another trader added: “I heard the Port Harcourt Chairman saying on radio that they’re not owing us, that we should go and collect our money from the people we paid money to. Please, we’re begging the human rights lawyers and the civil societies to help us. Even the Rivers State Government, all good people should help us and beg the council chairman for us.”
The chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government, Sir Allwell Ihunda had, while speaking on Nigeria Info 92.3 F.M. radio yesterday, explained that the council has never asked anybody to collect money from the traders. He said the traders should go and meet whoever they paid money to refund them.
“Because we never mandated anybody to collect money for us,” he reiterated.
