Traders mark one year of Alade market relocation amid low sales

Traders at the new Alade Market in Ikeja, Lagos State on Tuesday held a rally and roadshow to mark the one year anniversary of relocating from the old market to a new and modern mart.

Wife of the Lagos State governor, Bolanle Ambode, had last year commissioned the N1.876 billion new Alade Market built by Master Reality International Concept Limited. The new market has 504 shops, 200 K-Clamps, 20 toilets, 350 KVA and 150 KVA generating sets and three boreholes to provide water for the traders.

Traders in the old Alade Market were relocated to the new edifice and charged to keep the market clean and ensure that squatters were not allowed to take over the market.

According to the developer, Lai Omotola, the sum of N2 billion has been spent on the project and they plan to spend an additional N150 million. “It would be spent on landscape and beautification, fencing, electricity, canal, and other things for the sustenance of the modern market. It is a model market that most market would aspire to emulate. We also hold quarterly meetings with the traders to hear their ideas and demands so that we can work towards it.”

The Iyaloja of the new Alade market, Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Aina Adenuga, who was represented by Mrs. Olajumoke Adenuga, admitted that sales have been down since the movement from the old market, not only because the customers find it hard to locate the new market but also due to the economic situation in the country.

“We thank God for the grace to celebrate one year even though the sales have not been as profitable as it was before due to the inability of customers to locate the new market and the economic situation in the country. But gradually things are beginning to look up as customers are finding their way here and sellers that initially left are coming back,” she said.