Shop owners protest imposition of new levies

Scores of shop owners in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital yesterday protested against imposition of new levies by the authorities of the Ilorin West local government area.

The protestors who were mainly from Oja Tuntun in the metropolis accused the new council chairperson, Alhaja Romoke Omodara of planning to also impose new security levies on the shop owners in the market.

The irate protestors staged a peaceful protest from the market to the local government secretariat around mandate area.

The placard-carry protesters denounced the chairperson for planning to convert the expanse of land used by the marketers as the parking lot, to a shopping complex.

Some of the placards read: ‘This is democracy not military regime,’ ‘Omodara don’t misuse your opportunity,’ ‘Omodara you are elected to serve not to destroy,’ Saraki did not ask you to pull down our shops,’ ‘our security should be your concern Madam chairperson,’ etc.

Addressing reporters during the protest, Financial Secretary, Oja Tuntun Market Association, Ayelara Kehinde said: “We said we cannot allow her to build shops at the car park without provision of alternative place for our customers but she is insisting that she would convert the place to shops. Due to lack of adequate parking spaces, we have lost many of our customers to other markets. That is why we are opposing her latest move.”

Alhaja Omodara did not pick calls put to her to hear her own side of the story as of the time of filing this report.