Commercial activities ground as Bauchi distributes palliatives – shops owners groan, count losses 

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By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi

Commercial activities have been put on hold along the Emir’s Drive and Illela Street within Bauchi metropolis as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management set to distribute palliatives items to beneficiaries from Bauchi LGA. 

As early as 7am, fully armed security operatives comprising Police, NSCDC, Army and other nonuniform personnel were seen blocking the ends of the roads from the Central market roundabout to the Ministry of Education roundabout. 

Traffic from all the directions were diverted to other streets to the discomfort of the commuters who were forced to trek to their various destinations no matter the distance from the point of disembarking. 

Worst affected are shops and businesses owners along the two streets who have been forced to close while the programme lasted a development that will force them to incur losses. 

Malam Ahmed Maitabarma sells mats along the Emir Drive, he lamented that he and his colleagues will lose sales while the programme will last stressing that, they don’t have any other source of livelihoods aside the business. 

He further lamented that they were not informed about the programme earlier on, they will not have come out until it is over saying that they just got to the business point and saw that it was blocked by security agencies. 

Ahmed Maitabarma appealed that government should always consider others before embarking on a programme in order to allow them make alternative arrangements considering the fact that most of them get what to eat from the sales on daily basis. 

Other businesses owners who simply spoke to Our Correspondent, lamented that their sources of income have been altered by the authorities which will later come to force them to pay tax. 

One of the major businesses affected in the area is the AA Waziri group which deals with electronics, handsets, households appliances including other services which was forced to close shops until after the programme later in the day. 

A source however revealed that the tight security arrangements was made in order to wade away unwanted people from the point of the distribution in order to have a smooth exercise. 

The source said that in the past, urchins and other bad boys had stormed venue of the distribution, disrupt the programme and carted away the items while security agencies looked helpless. 

He said that, the Governor was not happy with what played out at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium when the Governor officially flagged off the distribution of the palliative. 

Urchins and the dreaded Sara-Suka boys invaded the field, chased away the beneficiaries and stole almost all the items to be distributed. The Commissioner want well scolded by the Governor.