Abuja street where 15 car washmen hold sway
wash, but the problem is, if we pay all these groups of people, how much would be left for us?” he complained.
Criminality
At the car wash, it is not strange to see a police vehicle screech to a stop and take in a few men who may have been fighting or smoking marijuana, Weekly Trust gathered. The experience is common, because much as some of young men work, several of them just hang around doing nothing.
Sometimes, the idlers come around to keep their working friends company or spoiling for an adventure. Sometimes too they stand in a group on the walkways talking loudly and smoking cigarettes. In some instances, without seeing the subject in sight, one could get a whiff of the forbidden product coming from nowhere in particular. But by and large, it is just a day in the lives of 15 men who have adopted positive use of the street, by rendering the much needed car wash services by the roadside.
Their neighbours
Although the companies on the street where these car wash business men ply their trade may appear to be quiet about the domination of a large chunk of the street by the former, some of their employees told Weekly Trust how uncomfortable they are with the presence of the business on a busy street. A man, who gave his name simply as Mr. Daniel, complained about the existence of the car wash business on the busy street. “The way cars are parked and washed on the street is not good. The government should take responsibility and allocate a certain space that is more conducive for them to operate. It is obvious that many of them feed from this job. They are also cheaper than sophisticated car wash workshops which cost us as much as N2000 or N3000. However, a street car wash such as this charges us between N300 to N500,” he said. Mr. Usman Ajiji, another employee of another company who said he does not patronise them, blamed the situation on the economic condition of the country. “I can’t blame them. They are looking for their daily meal. The way they park cars by the side of the road along with the water that flows on the street can cause accidents. However, this is as a result of the present condition of the country, so it is better for them than engaging in any form of criminal activity,” he said.
Thus, the illegality of the business that thrives by the roadside seems to remains a mere question as the water glides down the street and cars with all four doors flung wide open into the pose a certain danger.