Economy
By Kennedy Nnamani
BEHIND the busy and crowded Ikeja Computer Village are the traders and operators wearing long faces over the number of challenges confronting them daily in the market. Some of the challenges, according to some of the traders, include poor power supply, security, the ripple effects of the ongoing demolitions by the Lagos State Government (LASG) to expand the major roads in the area.
To the traders affected by the demolitions, their biggest challenge is the effect of the state government’s plan, while those whose businesses are located inside the village are not left out of the lamentations since their challenges also affect the smooth running of their sources of livelihood.
According to Friday Idowu, a phone repairer, the major challenge from the demolition is the issue of customers retracing the locations of their shops. “I have lost some of my customers to other repairers because some of them no longer know the usual road to my shop and they might not be patient enough to keep looking for my shop,” Idowu said.
Idowu pleaded with the state government to hasten the construction to enable him and his colleagues regain full control of their businesses. “I wish the road expansion is done as fast as possible so that our business can return to normal,” he said.
Speaking with Ada Nwokobia, a dealer in phone and phone accessories, who lamented that two of her properties that were affected by the demolition, noted that there have not yet been any government interventions to the demolished properties. “Imagine if those shops were my only sources of livelihood, how would I have coped? I feel for those who would have been sent back to the village due to this demolitions,” Nwokobia lamented.
Dolapo Ekwebi, a computer engineer, pointed out that those who fix computers and laptops are facing the problem of power. He noted that the epileptic power supply has caused him the loss of some of his gadgets. He also noted that he has resolved to run his generator throughout the business hours, which costs him as well as others more. “I don’t even know when there is power because my generator is serving me better than their supply,” Ekwebi said.
On security matter, Realnews gathered that each complex has its own security guard. However, the shop owners would want the market security guards to be there always, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown when the market was locked since business owners need to be guaranteed of the safety of their properties.
Speaking with the chairman of one of the complexes who pleaded to remain anonymous, he linked the major challenges to the thugs who parade themselves to scam and steal from the unsuspecting customers. He also noted that there is at least 2% low patronage due to misinformation that people get about the market community. He advised the public not to buy products from people who meet them on the road and present products to them so as to avoid being scammed. “Some people want to play smart and beat the price, and eventually they fall victim to those predators. And you cannot take them off the market because you don’t even know them in person,” the chairman said.
Speaking on the effect of the demolition, the chairman revealed to Realnews that there is now the issue of space as the affected shop owners seek stands to squat and thereby causing congestion in the market.
Meanwhile, the prices of goods and products have noticeably been affected by these challenges. Simon Dada, a customer who came to fix his phone stated that his phone engineer was affected by the demolitions, but has gotten a stand where he pays higher than before. “I don’t really think I can cope with the prices that these people call for just to fix as little as the charging point of phones. To me it is ridiculous,” Dada said.
KN
Tags: Ada Nwokobia Dolapo Ekwebi Friday Idowu Kennedy Nnamani Realnews Simon Dada
