The sensational claim by the new minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, that he wants street hawkers and corn sellers out of Abuja streets because they create or enable insecurity has been described as preposterous, thoughtless, and wicked by the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
HURIWA believes that top government officials in charge of public sector finances and officers of government institutions, including military Generals who man procurement offices but line their pockets with filthy lucre, are the biggest enablers of insecurity not just in the nation’s Capital Territory but throughout Nigeria.
HURIWA has attributed his newfound hatred for the poorest of the poor to his transformation from a ‘nothing’ to ‘somebody,’ which he underwent with the help of donors and mother luck. HURIWA reminds Mr.Wike of the adage that if “the poor can’t sleep because they’re hungry, the rich can’t sleep because the poor are awake.”
HURIWA stated that all anyone who respects only evidence-based assertions should do to determine exactly why there is insecurity in the country and in the seat of power, the FCT, is to scientifically recollect the conviction rates of criminals in Nigeria to know that top public office holders have been disgraced from their positions by the anti-corruption agencies of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offenses.
HURIWA recounted that when he arrived in Abuja a few days earlier to take office, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, stated that he had forbidden street vending in the city, claiming that street sellers, particularly those selling corn, contributed to violence and instability.
Furthermore, Rivers State’s immediate past governor made this declaration during a meeting with the management staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority, asking them to prioritize doing what is right.
His words: “The important thing we must do is to ensure that Abuja is back to what it ought to be. I moved around Abuja and found out there is total darkness in most of the places. “What we need to do is to ensure light comes back as soon as possible,” he said. Wike ordered the immediate cleanup of Abuja adding, “If you are in charge of sanitation, I will call you at any time of the day. Street trading is prohibited. People selling corn will drop their waste indiscriminately and these are the things that cause insecurity. Criminals come to buy and use the opportunity to spy and give information to criminals. It is imperative we clear street hawkers.”
HURIWA, however, said that the case of Mr. Wike is that of someone whom the gods have buttered their bread and rescued from deprivation, want, hunger, and political hustling, have suddenly become addicted to an unfathomable and unprecedented hatred for poor people such as beggars, corn sellers and other street hawkers most of whom are even University graduates who couldn’t find employment and white collar jobs and don’t want to go into crime or advanced fees fraud but decided to venture into petty trading with the abiding faith and hope that one day God will butter their bread and perhaps mother luck may smile on them as it did on Nyesom Wike.
HURIWA in a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko vehemently kicked against such a wicked move to ban street trading which it believed the minister not being a law maker lacked the legal right to so do but had to get proper legislation from the National Assembly being the legislative House for the FCT. HURIWA says it is not in any way against any effort to clean up the streets of Abuja but however warned that those who opportunistically gained appointments into public offices even when they belong to an ‘opposition party’, must be careful and very circumspect to realize that political power is transient and then must speak with respect, decorum and be humane in their public and private activities.
Source: Lagos City Reporters
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