The Kano State Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA), says it has concluded arrangements for a clearance exercise to decongest major roads blocked by illegal traders and business operators in the metropolis.

The Managing Director of the Agency, Alhaji Baffa Dan-Agundi, stated this during an inspection of the affected areas on Thursday in Kano.

Dan-Agundi said a Taskforce Committee had been constituted to facilitate smooth conduct of the clearance exercise, lamenting that over 5, 000 shops were left unoccupied by traders in various markets in the metropolis.

He noted that the Sabuwar Tasha; Kwanar Ungoggo, Kofar Ruwa, Nassarawa Industrial Area and Sabon Gari markets were built over a decade ago, but the traders abandoned them.

“There are over 5,000 empty shops in the markets due to the lackadaisical attitude of the traders to patronise and make them habitable.

“The abandoned shops are now criminal hideouts, thereby causing fear to the residents in the affected areas,” he said.

Dan-Agundi noted that the state government had issued a six months notice to the traders hawking on roadside at Sabon Gari and Singer markets as well as Wapa Yan Babura, to relocate to the designated markets.

He said that at the expiration of the notice on Wednesday July 15, the Agency embarked on the exercise to clear hawkers, sanitise the roads and ease traffic flow.

The director warned that defaulting traders and business operators would be penalised, adding that the measures was imperative to decongest the roads, provide free traffic flow and pedestrian movement.

Dan-Agundi reiterated the government commitment to provide basic amenities in the markets for the improvement of the well being of traders and create an enabling business environment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that membership of the Taskforce committee comprised of the representatives of the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and Kano State Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB), among others. (NAN)

– Jul. 16, 2020 @ 00:17 GMT