Commercial printers, traders and artisans occupying shops at Lokoja, Gwari and Muri roads in Kaduna metropolis held a peaceful on Monday, protested against plan by the Kaduna State Government to demolish their shops.

The area is a hub of printing and publishing activities that thrives in the state capital and is being patronised largely from 19 states of the North.

Copy of the Quit Notice dated 5th August, 2015, signed by the Interim Chairman, the Kaduna North Local Government Wing Commander Gambo Kurfi and made available to newsmen, ordered the printers and many other traders, artisans to vacate their shops within two weeks, upon which they will be demolished.

Spokesman for the traders, Mr. Abiola Eneja, said the two weeks ultimatum given to them to vacate their shops was too short, and more so that they had all valid papers for their shops. He appealed to the state government to provide them with an alternative land where they can build new shops, or at least, give them sufficient time to relocate their shops.

One of the printers said: “Looking at the situation on ground, these people have children and relatives and they feed on these businesses. When you are keeping them out of a shop, you should provide a comfortable place for them.

“Nobody says you should not develop the city, but when doing that, you should consider the plight of the masses who elected you into office.

“This is not the change that we voted for, we didn’t vote for Mallam El-Rufai to demolish our shops, we voted for him to give us good governance. But we are disappointed with the action of the state government.”

Some of the shop owners said they have been there for over 25 years and they are lamenting that they would do not have money to rent new shops elsewhere.

Speaking on the ongoing demolition exercise, the Senator representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, described the ongoing demolition exercise by the state government as “harsh and anti people.”

He advised the government to trade with caution in order not to plung the citizens into severe hardship.

According to him, “It is too early for a government that has just spent close to three months to reward those that voted us into power with suffering and lamentations.”

•Photo shows Governor El-Rufai.

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