Kunle Adelabu
Residents of Ikorodu have commended the improvements and organization at the discounted food market introduced by the Lagos State Government, following the complaints which trailed the kick – off last week.
The markets, located at the Ikorodu Grammar School, which serves residents of Ikorodu Local Government and Zumratul Islammiyyah Grammar School, Igbogbo, venue for the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), on Sunday, March 24, 2024, opened for the second time since commencement.
At both venues, items that were conspicuously displayed with prices were Rice 5kg (N5250); Beans 5kg (N6, 375); Garri 5kg (N4, 350); Bread (N750) and Crate of Eggs (N2700).
Other items at the markets were pepper (tatase, tomatoes, and rodo) and onions.
Aside the organization of the market which the residents commended, the entertainment provided by Deejays in all the markets, also impressed them.
At the Ikorodu Grammar venue where our reporter arrived around 1pm, there were large number of residents on queue to get accredited and allocated numbers. After that, they were allowed entry into the market which was cordoned – off with rope, as residents get their vouchers and made purchases.
The cordoned area and general market environment were adequately secured by the men of the Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Lagos State Neighbourhood Corp and other non – conventional security personnel, to prevent any breach.
Madam Aisha Ayodele, an elderly woman who came to the Ounje Eko’ Food Discount Market located at the Grammar School, Ikorodu, with her granddaughter, speaking with our reporter, commended the initiative and organization of the market.
“The market is very fine today unlike last week when everything wasn’t in order. The only problem that I have since l was cleared to buy food items, is the issue of network with my Wema Bank, if not, I would have completed my purchase and return home”, she said.
“This is a good opportunity to buy at reduced prices compared to the high rate in other places, but unfortunately, my Wema Bank ATM card is not helping me at all”, she added.
Another resident, who simply introduced herself as Mrs Aisha, was full of smiles and commendations for the organization of the market.
“Today’s market is very well organized and orderly compared with what happened last week. This is commendable and the government must work to improve on it or maintain it as it is”, she said.
“This is far better and a pleasant experience compared with what we faced last week”.
Mr Jide Banjo, a senior civil servant with the Lagos State Government, also speaking with THE IMPACT after asking our reporter to fully identify himself, also said:
“I was here last week and my number was 900 plus and since there was nothing on ground and the arrangement was nothing to write home about, I left. But coming here today, there are lot of improvements. Things are going on well”, he said.
“There is no rushing. The organization is good and everyone is being attended to properly”, Mr Banjo added.
Comrade Awobajo Afeez, a physically challenged person who was at the kick –off of the market last week for several hours without anything to show for it, also commended the organization of the second edition.
“Today’s market is seamless and well – organized. People are coming in to get their food items and exiting without problems. You can see that I have bought things that I needed”, Awobajo said.
“Each of the selling points possessing their POS really made the whole thing faster and convenient and there is DJ on ground that has been supplying us good music to entertain and keep people in good mood, while they queue for their turn.
“It is also noteworthy to state that they considered the physically challenged people, pregnant women and aged by allowing them to have access and not keeping them on queue”, he added.
It was also seamless from morning till afternoon at the venue of ‘Ounje Eko’ Food market in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA where it also kicked – off at the scheduled time, but the situation became chaotic around 2pm, when our reporter returned to the market.
Impatient residents that were initially stationed close to the entrance of the school gate and being brought into the market arena in tens after clearance, at a point, refused the orderly arrangement.
They bombarded the sales point as they made it difficult for the traders to continue with orderly way that the market started and operated for hours before they turned everything into chaos.
Some of the residents, however, complained to THE IMPACT, that they were at the market for hours, but were unable to buy anything.
