Panelists have called on governments at all levels to modify their strategies and adopt a more persuasive approach to stemming the tide of road side trading in the country. They gave this admonition while featuring on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State radio station, FUNAAB Radio 89.5FM live interactive programme, Boiling Point. According to the Assistant Director and Environmental Health Officer, Abeokuta South Local Government, Sanitarian Olatokunbo Oladehinde, road side trading is a small scale trading that involves selling along the road, streets, flower pots and footpaths, thereby hindering vehicular and human movements, stressing that people engage in road side trading because of accessibility to travellers, saying that apart from road mishaps, it could also lead to traffic congestion, which raises vehicular emission that is detrimental to human health.
Also, a Senior Lecturer from the Federal College of Education (FCE), Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr. Peluola Titiloye, said there are numerous factors accountable for road side trading, stressing that the index of poverty cannot be ruled out, as most road side traders find themselves in the business, all in a bid of surviving due to the problem of unemployment and underemployment ravaging the country. “Government exists to regulate activities in society and if there are activities of road side traders threatening public safety, the government cannot fold its arms, but should do something about the situation like the creation of alternatives by building satellite markets in the city, which will accommodate traders; and there should be synergy between environmental experts across all levels”, he added. The radio guests, therefore, called on Nigerians to ensure total compliance with government rules and regulations on road side trading and hawking so as to keep the environment serene and attractive to foreign investors.