Special Report: In Kwara, govt increases traders’ taxes but ignores deplorable condition of market
In this report, The Informant247’s Toheeb Omotayo documents how bad roads in Oja Tuntun Market — a key economic hub in Ilorin West, Kwara State — are damaging traders’ goods and hindering business activities. At the same time, infrastructures such as electricity, water and sanitation facilities are either outdated or non-existent. Authorities promised improvements in exchange for higher taxes but have failed to deliver, leaving traders struggling with both high taxes and deteriorating market conditions.
Standing beside his wheelbarrow with an expression of profound disgust and exhaustion on his face, Taye Yusuf, 43, a porter in Oja Tuntun Market, had just returned from helping some customers drop off their items.
Despite the cool weather, the faint outline of wrinkles around his eyes was still visible, seemingly sparkling slightly. As he described the struggles his people face due to the terrible condition of the roads in the market, he appeared agitated, as if prepared to charge at someone.
“I have had my customers hurl curses at me each time their items fall off the wheelbarrow onto the ground, especially into potholes filled with extremely dirty water,” he recounted, tears forming in his eyes. “This would not have happened if we had a smooth road network. As you can imagine, it can be quite challenging to maintain my composure when curses are being uttered.”
He added, “Not only have we received curses from others due to the poor condition of the road, but our main source of income — wheelbarrows — has been damaged beyond repair multiple times. Helping people move their items from one location to another is our occupation. As you can see, I am just coming back from helping a customer drop off their goods. This bad road is seriously affecting our porterage business.”
Oja Tuntun market
Located in the Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, the popular Oja Tuntun Market has been a major source of revenue for the state government. It has been in existence for over 50 years. It is one of Ilorin’s major marketplaces and is frequently visited for a variety of items, including foodstuffs, clothing, kitchen items, herbal products, and other essentials.
Despite this, however, the market has been in a deplorable condition for a long time, significantly affecting individual marketers and business owners.
Poor road network
During rainy season, the road becomes slippery and impassable. In the dry season, it produces insufferable dust, according to sources within the market.
A marketer identified only as Mummy Alima recounted the tragedy of how she lost gallons of palm oil to heavy flooding due to the market’s chaotic road.
“The flooding has dislocated my container more than three times in the past three years. One day, I arrived at the shop to open for the day only to find my container on the road with plenty of oil spilled on the ground,” she said.
Winas, who sells drinks by the roadside, decried the deplorable state of the road, which she said has forced many people to stop visiting the market and drastically reduced their sales.
“During the rainy season, people do not come to Oja Tuntun because of the bad roads, especially the road at the market’s entrance. There are potholes, and water gets stuck there. People are unable to enter the market,” she said. “Even during the dry season, we cannot stay here because of the dust. The dust is disturbing and makes our goods dusty. Customers reject the dusty goods. The bad road has prevented our business from thriving. We are suffering a lot in Oja Tuntun because of this road. We are not able to sell anything.”
Another trader, who pleaded to remain anonymous, lamented the same ordeal as she bemoaned the yearly infiltration of water from the potholes into her shop.
According to her, “I barely get a sound sleep at home because I worry about my shop every time it rains. The road has caused many hazards for us. Our customers have opted for alternatives, preferring to visit neighbouring markets for their purchases. We are really suffering.
“We dug gutters to allow for the free passage of floodwater since we cannot afford the road’s rehabilitation, but they have been blocked. We experience huge losses every year, and it is very unbearable.”
Motorists lament
Taye Jimoh, the secretary of Oja Tuntun Garage, lamented the appalling condition of the road, pointing out the fractured bridge that divides the paved and unpaved road right at the market’s entrance.
“Each time vehicles, especially big pick-ups, use the bridge, it collapses. They did not use original materials to build it. We are fulfilling our end by paying the necessary taxes. The road is our major concern and should be fixed along with the fractured bridge. The government is making money from the local government taxes we pay. Tax officers bring tickets every day, and we pay them,” he said.
Not only bad roads
The Deputy Chairman of the Baboko Marketers Association, AbdulAzeez Sheu told The Informant247 that although there is a police post in the market, the market still pays for additional security services.
“The market is taking care of security,” he said. “Although there is a police post provided by the government, we also cover the cost of security guards for both day and night shifts.”
When asked about the condition of facilities such as electricity, water, refuse bins, and toilets in the market, Sheu responded, “There is security, but none of the facilities you asked about are provided.”
“We don’t have any waste disposal in the market. The ones given to us can only do a little or nothing to contain refuse. We pay porters with our money to help us pack and dispose of refuse at the dumping location,” he said.
No electricity, water supply, others
Speaking about the state of electricity, the Iyaloja of the market, Sadia Adibara, said, “It has been about four years since we had electricity supply in the market, and currently, there is no power transformer.”
On waste disposal, she furthered, “We don’t have any refuse dumping bins in the market. The ones provided are inadequate and cannot handle the waste. We pay porters from our own funds to help us collect and dispose of refuse at the dumping location.”
We pay to use toilets
Since the toilet facilities built around the market by the government when it was first opened are in a deplorable state, this reporter found a toilet building inside the market managed by Abokis. The Abokis charge fees for using the facility — no less than N50 to urinate and N200 to defecate.
“Anyone who cannot pay before using the toilet will have to resort to open defecation,” Taye Yusuf, a market woman, lamented.
Market chiefs lament exorbitant taxes
The Iyaloja further lamented that despite the deplorable state of the market, which is affecting their sales, they have to contend with increased taxes imposed by the government.
She said, “Initially, the government introduced a tax rate minimum of N1,500, and we did not question it before we started paying. Later on, they came up with a new tax rate minimum of N2,500. Those who try to evade payment are met with violence.
“They also disapprove of two people sharing one shop, contrary to their initial practice. Despite our compliance, the government has still failed to heed our pleas. We have not less than 2,000 shops and display points.”
‘KWIRS promised to repair our roads in exchange for increased taxes’
Moronfola Abdulrahman, second in command to the Iyaloja, said, “What the state government is doing to us in this market is not what they do to others. The bad state of the road has forced many to stop visiting our market, and the government is collecting huge taxes from us.
“We were invited to KWIRS for a peace dialogue to continue paying our dues with a promise that they would help us fix our bad road in a short time. We complied, but they failed to fulfil their promise.
“They promised us that they would facilitate the market’s development by sponsoring all projects within it, including water, toilets, and electricity, if we paid the necessary dues, but didn’t deliver their promises.
“We have written several letters to the government house, none of which received a response. It is not only the road that is in shambles; our drainages are also faulty. Each time there is a downpour, surrounding shop owners face the grueling result of heavy flooding entering their shops. We have copies of the letters written to the government house in case of anything,” he said.
They stopped paying taxes – KWIRS
In a telephone conversation with the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), the commission confirmed that it had increased the taxes for marketers, but said they have stopped paying.
“Nobody should hide under the Association. For example, especially those with bigger shops, they also hide under the Association. And those with smaller shops hide under the Association,” said a lady who answered a call to the official line of the revenue agency but refused to disclose her name.
“They can’t be paying the same amount. Meanwhile, those with bigger shops are supposed to pay more. I remember there was a meeting where they claimed they would stop paying tax.”
In response, the vice chairman of the market said they still pay taxes.
“We paid the last one, and they have not come for it this year,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Ilorin West Local Government Secretariat proved abortive.
“The network is bad; I can’t hear you,” was the only response given by the Director of Personnel Management (DPM) who spoke to this reporter. Subsequent calls to the phone line were not answered.
