By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Minister of FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike has cautioned Apo Mechanic Village Traders trader to use the option of dialogue and not protests to settle their problems.
Wike cautioned the traders on Thursday when they barricaded the minister’s gate, displaying different placards in praise of the minister for development in the city.
The minister said that the act of protest was not supporting him, but it is sponsored to sabotage the government and also an act of intimidation. I am not one of those who can be intimidated, go and ask very well.”
He said , “l see this as being sponsored by people coming to tarnish the image of the government, I don’t like this. We can sit and dialogue, if government has promised to give you land, then we will look at the papers.”
He said, ” If this is the way you support the government , then I don’t need it. By barricading the road without informing me, you never wrote to me that you wanted to see me and then what you will do is to wake up in the morning to barricade the gate and the road.”
“And you say you are supporting me, I don’t need that support.
And what I don’t like is intimidation. If you have a problem, channel it to me, if I don’t solve it them take another step that you know.”
The minster blamed the traders for not addressing their land issue since 2015 until he came into office.
He said, “Something that has happened since 2015.you didn’t do anything about it. Ministers have come and gone, now I just came into office, and you have not even written to me. Sir, we want to see you. There’s a problem we are having, and we think you can help us solve it.”
Then I will ask questions, why has this land not given when it was approved. That is not a problem. So take your people away. That is the only way I can listen to you, Wike said.
The Chairman of Apo Mechanic Village Traders Association, Chimezie Ife who led the protesting traders appealed to the minister to look into their issue and to sign the lease of land that was approved since 2015 to enable them to have a permanent site.
