The rough lives of Abuja hawkers

Many street hawkers have been charged to different mobile courts set up by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB). Many were convicted and fined; yet, a lot of them play hide-and-seek with members of the board in a bid to survive at all cost.  Those who spoke with our reporters said it was their only […]

Many street hawkers have been charged to different mobile courts set up by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB). Many were convicted and fined; yet, a lot of them play hide-and-seek with members of the board in a bid to survive at all cost.
 Those who spoke with our reporters said it was their only means of livelihood; hence they must take the risk, even in the face of harassment by the AEPB.
The hawkers are usually seen on busy roads and streets where there is traffic holdup, running after vehicles with their wares such as snacks, sweets, biscuits, water, soft drinks and household items.
 It is on record that some of them have been knocked down by motorists, and some, who could not pay their fines at the mobile courts, were taken to prison, yet they are determined to make ends meet.
Speaking to our reporters, Doris Andrew, a secondary school leaver who hawks sweets and lozenges along Jabi road, said though it is not easy to hawk on the road, there was the need to make ends meet and have something to fall back on.
According to her, running after vehicles is not an easy thing, but the motorists already understand them, so they slow down whenever any of the passengers want to buy something.
“It is not an easy task to run after vehicles because you want to sell, but I have to do it so that I can take care of certain needs. The challenge we are facing with the task force is too much, but most of us just have to come out to do this business because we don’t have an alternative,” she said.
 She alleged that whenever they are arrested by the task force, they are fined between N3000 and N4000, adding that even after paying the fines, “the brutal and merciless task force  go away with our goods.”
Another hawker, Blessing Nwachukwu, who has been running after vehicles on the streets of Abuja for the past two years, said she was into it despite the crackdown by task force because she could not get any other job to do.
 “I started this business because of lack of job. If you look for a salesgirl job to do, when they employ you they will harass you on the job; that is why I chose to do this,” she explained.
On how lucrative the business is, Blessing said she could make up to N10,000 profit in a month, depending on sales.
 “Members of the task force are very terrible people. They have really dealt with us. When they arrest us they collect our goods and we still pay fines. For the ladies, if you cannot afford to pay the fine, they also lock you up for like a week and even abuse you sexually in order to release you,” she alleged.
She called on the government to come to their aid by creating job opportunities so that they can get off the road.
Ugochukwu Ogbansechi, a secondary school student who hawks plantain chips on the road whenever school is on break, said they usually alerted one another whenever they see the men of the AEPB.
“They charge us N5000 as official rate and issue receipt. But if you do not have up to that you beg them and they can collect like N3000 and release you, but for that there is no receipt. But if they arrest you twice and check their records, you will be taken to Suleja prison, that one will cost you N10, 000,’’ he said.
Ikechi Sunday said though it is not advisable to hawk on the road, there is no other thing to do than to face the dangers of road accident and the pressure from the task force in order to survive.
Sunday said that on a good day he would make a profit of N2, 000, adding, however, that there are days when there are no sales at all. 
Still on task force he said, “They seize our goods when they arrest us, and when we pay the fine of N5, 000, they will not return our goods. Government should try and mediate on our behalf concerning the tax force issue.”
He told our reporters that he was into hawking to raise money and go back to school or open a shop for his goods.
“I have nine credits in my SSCE and NECO, so I am trying to get money so that I can go back to school or start another business. That is why I am here,” he said.
When contacted, the Head Information and Media Outreach Programme of Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Joe Ukairo, said street hawkers when arrested are handed over to the police if the mobile court do not sit the day they are arrested. He said there was no way they would have been sexually harassed. “Is it in the bus, police station or court that they are harassed?” he queried, explaining that arrested street hawkers do not pass the night within the premises of AEPB.
He added that only the court can order their goods to be released.