Market women in Osun state on Thursday stormed the popular Olaiya junction in Osogbo, Osun state capital to protest against the imposition of standardised measuring scale known as ‘Osunwon Omoluabi’ by the state government.
The state government had launched the scales in June last year but the traders had shunned it and had been using their traditional hand-measure, popularly called “kobiowu/kongo.”
Some officials of government on Tuesday, however, besieged the popular Igbona Market in Osogbo to enforce the use of the scale on the traders, threatening to punish any erring trader.
But this move did not go down well with the traders as they trooped out enmasse to resist the usage of the standardized measuring scale which they said have been causing them untold loss of profits.
The protesting traders who stormed the popular Olaiya junction around 12:00 pm refused to leave the roads for about an hour, a development that caused heavy traffic along the busy roads.
They accused the state government of selling the scales at exorbitant rates lamenting that its usage had been having negative effects on their businesses.
While claiming that their customers had been complaining about the scales, the market women marched to the state Secretariat at Abere.
At the secretariat, they were chanting different songs against the government and ministry of commerce, Cooperative and Empowerment insisting on seeing Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Speaking with our correspondent during the protest, one of the market women, Mrs Fadilat Akanji said they were from all the markets in the state and that they were rejecting the policy because the scales had been causing them shortages.
While speaking in Yoruba language, Akanji said, “we have been experiencing shortages since few of us started using the scales. Even our customers are complaining against the scales. Imagine the government forcing an aged kolanut seller to use scale.
“I sell palm oil and I bought the scale at the rate of N2,500 but I now regret buying it because it has caused damages to my business. All of my colleagues are also complaining bitterly. Some of the scales are even sold for N7,500 to N25,000 depending on the kind of wares you sell. We can’t accept it. Never.”
The protesters, however, asked the government to provide hand measure (Kobiowu/Kongo) for them to be using stressing that there was no way they could accept the standardized measuring scales.
Addressing the protesting market women, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Hon. Simeon Olufemi Popoola, said that the introduction of the standardized measuring scale by the government was in the interest of the sellers and buyers.
He stated that Nigeria is the only country amongst its neighbours without standardized measuring scales for its trading activities.
Popoola noted that the government will look into the complaints and grievances of the traders.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
