Gov’t should provide jobs for us
I try not to hawk in Lagos again because
of the disturbance from officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline. If a
total ban is what the Lagos State Government now places on hawking,
then I cannot even consider hawking in the state again. We are suffering
and there is no job to do. I am not happy hawking educational and
hairstyle posters. I want a good job that can take me away from the
street. But there is nothing I can do if I am yet to get such a job. I
want the government to provide jobs for us. I cater for myself. The
profit that I make on the posters that I hawk is not much. Each sells
for N200. I will continue to pray and hope the situation improves in
Nigeria. I am from Anambra State and my family members are aware that I
am not a lazy person. If I get a better job than this, I will do it. I
stay in the sun from morning till evening. I have to hustle and I can’t
steal. I just pray that the same thing will not happen in other states
across the country.
of the disturbance from officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline. If a
total ban is what the Lagos State Government now places on hawking,
then I cannot even consider hawking in the state again. We are suffering
and there is no job to do. I am not happy hawking educational and
hairstyle posters. I want a good job that can take me away from the
street. But there is nothing I can do if I am yet to get such a job. I
want the government to provide jobs for us. I cater for myself. The
profit that I make on the posters that I hawk is not much. Each sells
for N200. I will continue to pray and hope the situation improves in
Nigeria. I am from Anambra State and my family members are aware that I
am not a lazy person. If I get a better job than this, I will do it. I
stay in the sun from morning till evening. I have to hustle and I can’t
steal. I just pray that the same thing will not happen in other states
across the country.
— Ogbonna
We are hustlers not thieves
I hope that the government has provided
jobs for us before taking the decision. If the situation is going to
continue that way, it means that I have to start thinking of when to
return to Ebonyi State. I have always wanted to go into rice farming.
But why are our leaders so wicked? They were promising the unemployed
monthly salary before the last election but everything changed after the
election. Now, they want us not to hawk again. I feed myself from the
money I make. I do not have dependants but I cater for myself. I know
that it is risky for us to be hawking on the road. But how do we
survive? We are not stealing. We are only trying to provide jobs for
ourselves because the government has not been able to do so. In my own
case, I have saved lives and continue to do so with what I hawk. I hawk
sausages while some hawk cold water in traffic. When drivers and
passengers are hungry, they cannot get down from the car and find a
place to eat. They only look around to see if they can find anybody
hawking what they quickly buy to eat till they get to their
destinations. Do you know how many lives would have been lost if these
people have nothing to eat in traffic? I have saved more lives than
whatever some of my colleagues did to warrant the decision. It is true
that they are our leaders but they should know that we would want to do
other jobs if they are available than hawking and risking our lives in
traffic.
jobs for us before taking the decision. If the situation is going to
continue that way, it means that I have to start thinking of when to
return to Ebonyi State. I have always wanted to go into rice farming.
But why are our leaders so wicked? They were promising the unemployed
monthly salary before the last election but everything changed after the
election. Now, they want us not to hawk again. I feed myself from the
money I make. I do not have dependants but I cater for myself. I know
that it is risky for us to be hawking on the road. But how do we
survive? We are not stealing. We are only trying to provide jobs for
ourselves because the government has not been able to do so. In my own
case, I have saved lives and continue to do so with what I hawk. I hawk
sausages while some hawk cold water in traffic. When drivers and
passengers are hungry, they cannot get down from the car and find a
place to eat. They only look around to see if they can find anybody
hawking what they quickly buy to eat till they get to their
destinations. Do you know how many lives would have been lost if these
people have nothing to eat in traffic? I have saved more lives than
whatever some of my colleagues did to warrant the decision. It is true
that they are our leaders but they should know that we would want to do
other jobs if they are available than hawking and risking our lives in
traffic.
— Sunday
Govt should pity us
I am not going to hawk in Lagos again if
that is the new position of the state government on hawking. I would
not want to go to jail. I also think it is bad for the government to
take this kind of decision when it is aware that we are suffering. Many
of the things we sell in traffic will perish if we have to stay in one
place to sell them. For instance, I sell puff puff, which can
get bad after few hours. We have to go out to look for customers and not
the customers looking for us. I will be happy if the Lagos State
Government can reconsider the decision and pity us. It will make things
easy for us. I prefer to struggle to survive than steal. I have nobody
except God.
that is the new position of the state government on hawking. I would
not want to go to jail. I also think it is bad for the government to
take this kind of decision when it is aware that we are suffering. Many
of the things we sell in traffic will perish if we have to stay in one
place to sell them. For instance, I sell puff puff, which can
get bad after few hours. We have to go out to look for customers and not
the customers looking for us. I will be happy if the Lagos State
Government can reconsider the decision and pity us. It will make things
easy for us. I prefer to struggle to survive than steal. I have nobody
except God.
—Paul
I survive on hawking
I have a daughter and I am doing this
work because I didn’t go to school. I cannot get a good job. Hawking
soft drinks is a way to survive for me and my daughter. Sometimes, I
make N1,000 on a good day but sometimes even less than that. Things are
hard now and many people do not buy things from us as they used to do. I
hope Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will pity us. He should not ban us from
doing this job. This is the only trade I do.
work because I didn’t go to school. I cannot get a good job. Hawking
soft drinks is a way to survive for me and my daughter. Sometimes, I
make N1,000 on a good day but sometimes even less than that. Things are
hard now and many people do not buy things from us as they used to do. I
hope Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will pity us. He should not ban us from
doing this job. This is the only trade I do.
— Maryam Akindele
I support my husband with hawking
I do not support the ban on hawking by
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode because it does not help hawkers in any way. I
sell bottled water, drinks and sausage rolls to support my husband and
take care of my daughter. Even at that, it is not easy for us. If the
governor wants us to stop this job, the state government should provide
another job for us so that our families do not suffer.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode because it does not help hawkers in any way. I
sell bottled water, drinks and sausage rolls to support my husband and
take care of my daughter. Even at that, it is not easy for us. If the
governor wants us to stop this job, the state government should provide
another job for us so that our families do not suffer.
— Aminat Taofeek
I feed three children as a widow
I don’t support the ban on hawking on
the road by the Lagos State government. It will affect us because
hawking is the only means of livelihood for me and my three children. My
husband is late. I would not be doing this kind of work if my husband
was still alive but harsh circumstances forced me into it. This trade is
my source of livelihood. If the state government bans hawking, how do
they want me and my children to feed and fend for ourselves? I don’t
think it is fair on us. If they want to ban hawking, then they should
build a market for us where we can stay to sell our goods.
the road by the Lagos State government. It will affect us because
hawking is the only means of livelihood for me and my three children. My
husband is late. I would not be doing this kind of work if my husband
was still alive but harsh circumstances forced me into it. This trade is
my source of livelihood. If the state government bans hawking, how do
they want me and my children to feed and fend for ourselves? I don’t
think it is fair on us. If they want to ban hawking, then they should
build a market for us where we can stay to sell our goods.
— Zainab Suleiman
Ambode should give me N100,000 for business
I have heard about the ban on hawking by
the Lagos State Government. But I don’t really know what to say about
it. I am confused. Maybe the government feels it is a good thing, who am
I to complain? But then, I think if the state government wants us to
stop hawking our goods on the road, they should provide another source
of livelihood for us. I don’t mind if Governor Akinwunmi Ambode can give
me like N70,000 or N100,000 to start a business. I won’t hawk again
once I get the money as support. But for now, this is the only business I
know how to do. Lagos State Government should help us.
the Lagos State Government. But I don’t really know what to say about
it. I am confused. Maybe the government feels it is a good thing, who am
I to complain? But then, I think if the state government wants us to
stop hawking our goods on the road, they should provide another source
of livelihood for us. I don’t mind if Governor Akinwunmi Ambode can give
me like N70,000 or N100,000 to start a business. I won’t hawk again
once I get the money as support. But for now, this is the only business I
know how to do. Lagos State Government should help us.
— Bukky Wasilat
Ban’ll affect my family
My family feeds from the proceeds of
hawking. How does the government want us to survive if they stop us from
hawking? On a good day, I make about N800 or N1000 selling sausage
rolls. But every day, we are forced to pay the local government council
N200 before we can ply our trade. Two hundred naira from the small
amount we make every day is a lot. Not only that, it is from that amount
that I pay for my transport fare daily. I hawk from Alagbado to Ikeja
every day to sell my wares. At the end of the day, I only have a small
amount as profit. The total ban on our trade will affect us greatly.
hawking. How does the government want us to survive if they stop us from
hawking? On a good day, I make about N800 or N1000 selling sausage
rolls. But every day, we are forced to pay the local government council
N200 before we can ply our trade. Two hundred naira from the small
amount we make every day is a lot. Not only that, it is from that amount
that I pay for my transport fare daily. I hawk from Alagbado to Ikeja
every day to sell my wares. At the end of the day, I only have a small
amount as profit. The total ban on our trade will affect us greatly.
— Idowu Akinlade
Compiled by Arukaino Umukoro and Gbenga Adeniji