LG Boss Sacks Ladipo Market Union

The Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Adepitan, has banned any form unionism at Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre, the largest section of Ladipo Market in the council area in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.

The council chairman dissolved the market union while declaring it open at the weekend after it was closed on 25 February, 2013 over environmental hazards and insecurity.

The dissolution of the union was part of the recommendations by the stakeholders of the market who observed that the crisis in the market was caused by leadership tussle among the traders.

Adepitan said a caretaker committee would be inaugurated to manage the affairs of the market to restore peace there.

The market has been in crises for the past four years over who leads the union among its various factions.

This resulted in a leader of one of the factions recruiting thugs from eastern Nigeria to terrorise the traders at the market and the residents of the area.

During the crisis, many traders were attacked and chased out of the market.

P.M.NEWS gathered that Adepitan was also attacked by one of the factions of the market leaders, while the developer of the market, who owns Paramo Development Ventures, was chased out of the market.

P.M.NEWS gathered that all efforts to restore peace in the market by the local council chairman were frustrated by the traders until the state government eventually shut it through the state Ministry of the Environment.

Though the state government later re-opened some sections of the markets, Aguiyi Ironsi market remained closed.

It was eventually opened after the stakeholders of the market held meetings with the state government in order to proffer lasting solutions to the crises.

Following the recommendation of the traders, the chairman suspended any form of unionism in the market which would now be managed by the council.

Adepitan said the union was dissolved temporarily until peace is restored in the market.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that many shops were looted and goods worth millions of naira were carted away while the market was closed.

Reacting to this development, the council chairman  promised to look into the matter.

—Cyriacus Izuekwe