TheHILL. | NEWS | May 17, 2021.
Street traders may find it difficult to operate in the coming days, as the Akwa Ibom State Government has again issued fresh warning, calling on people in the state to desist from street trading.
The Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Hon. Prince Ikim while speaking on a radio interview on Saturday in Uyo, restated the commitment of Gov. Udom Emmanuel to keep the capital city and the entire state clean, devoid of all forms of street trading.
While stating that enforcement against street trading had commenced, Ikim lamented that street trading and hawking aside from preventing free flow of traffic, endangering the beauty of the state and distortion of public health also constitutes security threat to the environment.
He noted that the days of grace were over and the government was already enforcing the law against street trading, after much education and enlightenment in the past.
On the legality of AKSEPWMA to carry out enforcement, the Chairman cited the Agency’s Law, Cap 47, 2000, Part 2, Section 6, Sub 0 which states; “Apprehend any person selling or hawking goods or other articles of trade in unauthorized places under any bylaw. (h) Being an itinerant seller or hawker litters the street, roads, Lanes, highways or any place with his article of trade is guilty of an offense and to a conviction to a fine or two weeks imprisonment.”
The AKSEPWMA Steersman particularly warned against those involving in street trading around Itam market, Ndiya street, Dakadda Secretariat, Oron road by plaza, barracks road, airport road, dakkada Secretariat.
He mentioned other areas which street trading should be abolished to include Nwaniba road, Ikpa road, Ibom Plaza, Edet Akpan Avenue (four lane), Uniuyo by eka street, Ikpa road by Uniuyo, Sacred Heart Catholic Church by Aka road, Ikot Ekpene road by Plaza, Etuk street by Aka road, Itam among others.
Ikim however urged residents and citizens of the State to embrace meaningful gestures that will promote environmental aesthetics and eschew all acts which is against the law.
