Recharge Card Sellers and Lagos Traffic Law

 A few days ago, precisely on Thursday, August 2, 2012, Lagos State government passed into Law its Traffic regulations. Meanwhile ban of hawking on Lagos roads have been in existence since. Today, while on my way to the Victoria Island, I saw hawkers including those displaying recharge cards, Gala, wallet, fruit drinks, soft drinks and all manner of snacks, car phone chargers of all sizes, to name a few.

What came to my mind was how much of traffic law does the hawker know about, especially in Lagos. His or her business is at stake and may be running out very soon, because most of those patronizing them, especially for recharge card sellers, will naturally decline due to the latest law on Lagos Traffic, because motorists will avoid them like a plague, except for those who will like to engage the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) in either physical or court battle.

But I am sure most Lagosians are praying against either of the two coming their ways, because which way one look at it, money and time must be spent at the end of the day.

So, back to the hawkers on Lagos roads, who will educate them on this new law, probably to think of another way of engagement for them to remain in business and even eschew hawking as a method of business, after all, Lagos has a ban on it too.

As if someone at Alausa read my thoughts earlier, on my way back at Anthony, men of Lagos State against hawking, I think they call them KIA brigade, but operating on mufti and unbranded Hiace bus; chased some hawkers across the Ikorodu Expressway. Then I began to pray that no vehicle knocks anyone of those down. Luckily we were in go-slow, so people were not speeding, yet some hawkers, like the one that sales bottled fruit juice and soft drinks, he has to throw his basket at the man chasing him for a catch, in order to escape, while those drinks scattered on the ground.

Can someone please suggest another way for some of these hawkers, especially those recharge card sellers, whose livelihood depends on what he gets on daily basis from traffic sessions.

I am still wondering how they know where there is one traffic session or another. Although, that question may form title for another symposium, but have you realized that even traffics get levels and it’s not every traffic that attracts hawkers. 

Feel us in on your thoughts.

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