The way we are treated here in this market, it is as if we are not part of Kuje area council, that is why we are left in this place to sell under trees without shops to protect us from rains and stormy weather, but what can we do? We must survive in order to take care of ourselves and families.”
Those were the words of Mrs. Margaret Abdulazeez, a trader at the Forest market in Pasali community, Kuje area council.
As the name implies, that is the way the market is. It is located in a forest like location on the outskirt of Kuje.
At this market, traders sell their merchandise under countless number of trees without permanent structures to protect them from the sun, rain and other stormy weather that threatens human existence.
A visit to this market which has been in existence for over 10 years showed traders going about their normal businesses with smiles on their faces and only when you try to talk to a trader will you realise that the smile is just a facade to cover the deep pains in the heart.
The traders are quick to express pains of how the leadership of the council has abandoned them to struggle to make ends meet in such an unconductive environment.
Abdulazeez, a yam trader at the market, expressed disappointment at the way the leadership of the council was dealing with the issue of markets in the council.
According to her, for a very long time, traders in Pasali community had not been opportune to own shops in the main markets and have been trading in the forest under trees without the council coming to their rescue to build permanent structures for them.
“We know what is happening in other area councils in Abuja, where most of the leadership concentrate in making lives easy for their residents, mostly on the issue of markets. But in Kuje, we do not know what is happening.? How much would it cost a council to put up permanent structures for us to trade in, if the main market is congested?
“But they do not think it is necessary, all they told us not to build our own permanent structures, which is not fair. The leadership of the council should come to our rescue and free us from these pains of trading without roofs over our heads, because when it starts raining, only God can help us,” she said.
For the Sarkin Kasuwa (care taker) of the market, Haske Kuje, the feeling is not different.
He believes that the market is due for development and erection of permanent structures, saying that there is every need for the council to expedite action in meeting the immediate demands of the people of Pasali community before the onset of the rains.
Kuje explained that the traders decided to use the forest as market because the Kuje main market was congested and there was no room for more traders.
He, however, said the area council authorities did not allow them not put up permanent structures as the place was temporary and they could be asked to leave at any time.
?“We were told not to build permanent shops in this place, that anything we do should be temporary, because whenever they want us out, we must leave, and we have been here for years selling under trees in this forest and since then, nothing has been said or done about building permanent structures for us.
“We spoke to Kuje Market Manager to come and help us with temporary structures, so that during the raining season, we can have where to hide and sell our wares, but nothing has been done, if it is on a market day and it starts to rain heavily, we all run around looking for shelters to hide from the rains and when most of us are drenched in the rain, we fall sick,” he said.
The market head further lamented that even though the chairman of the area council had promised to build another market that would take the traders but nothing had been done.
A resident of Pasali, Ali Agala, appealed to the council leadership to come to the aid of the traders, saying it was unhealthy for m to continue selling under trees, especially when it rains.
“You need to be here when it is raining and you will see what I mean; you will pity these traders and the customers that come to the market, because during the raining season, most of them do not have where to run to for shelter, they hide under the trees from the rain and even at that they still get drenched by the rain and most of their wares get soaked.
“We are appealing to the chairman of Kuje area council and the FCT minister to come to the aid of the traders by building permanent structures in this forest market,” he added.
The Kuje market manager, Mr. John Sunday, who spoke to LEADERSHIP, admitted that main market was congested.
He, however, assured that a new market was under construction and when completed, provision would be made for every trader as it is more spacious.
Sunday advised the traders to be patient pending when the market would be completed.
?