NEWS
Abuja’s Civil Servants Transform Eagle’s Square Car Park Into Mini Market
In the midst of adversity, Abuja’s resilient civil servants have turned Eagle’s Square Car Park into a thriving mini-market, showcasing their resourcefulness and adaptability.
The transformation of this once-underutilized space into a bustling marketplace not only reflects the resilience of the human spirit but also provides a glimmer of hope amid the prevailing hardships.
What was once a vacant expanse of concrete has now become a vibrant hub of commerce, offering a wide array of goods and services. From fresh produce and handmade crafts to mobile phone repairs and tailoring services, the Eagle’s Square Car Park mini-market has become a one-stop destination for both civil servants and visitors alike.
The atmosphere buzzes with activity as vendors proudly display their wares, demonstrating their determination to overcome adversity through entrepreneurship.
For them, the cost of finding proper stalls to set up their businesses and services is more expensive than selling out of the boots of their vehicles.
A salesman for electrical appliances, Ogbu Godwin, who started the business seven years ago, said it was his only source of income and livelihood, adding that although the business started small, he had had to diversify to survive.
“I am not a civil servant; this is the only business I do to survive. Usually, in a day before, we make like N3,500. Then we were only selling phone chargers, power banks and stuff like that. Now, we make as much as N10,000 from the sales of extensions, repairing phones, and selling chargers and power banks. If I had a store, half of that would probably go into settling dues, and I cannot afford that,” he added.
A civil servant, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said although she had been in service for over two decades, her jewellery and clothing business had “always been to make ends meet”.
She added that although her five children were old enough to fend for themselves, she engaged in the business to stay active.
She said, “The business has always been to make ends meet. Whichever way you look at it, the economy is biting hard. It is not as if we are making any gains; we are just doing it to stay active because we are growing old.
“We hardly make sales unless in the first week when they pay workers’ salaries. And then we don’t come during the weekends or public holidays. If not for the POS service that we added, sometimes we may not make sales for a whole week. And even that POS, our only gain is from the charges. The volume of business has reduced drastically. The only thing making money for me for now is my cold room, but the weather effects that too because when the rain falls, nobody sees a need to buy anything that is cold.”
Speaking on the legality of her business, she added, “The good thing about this is I don’t have to pay any taxes because I can’t imagine paying taxes from my government job and doing the same for this business. I pay my salesperson N500 per day, just so she also has enough to survive. The unfortunate reality is nothing is coming into the business. So, I pay her from my pocket. I pay the person overseeing my cold room N250 per day, depending on how he sells; so these are the issues.
“Everyone selling in this place is struggling; it’s not easy for anybody. We are all just trying to survive. Nobody is making a profit; nobody is having a field day in the business. We’re all just trying to survive at this time. At least I do this alongside my job, for some people this is their only source of income and they can hardly make ends meet”.
Another saleswoman, who identified herself only as Bose, sold herbal tea, coffee, perfume oils and skincare products out of the boot of her car.
She said although she was not a civil servant, she struggled to make sales on a daily basis.
According to her, the cost of setting up a business in the nation’s capital made her decide to use the boot of her car as her store.
“I am not a civil servant but I come here every day to sell my products. After all, we must survive this economy one way or another. You can’t blame us for selling in this manner. The cost of a full business setup is not something that is easily affordable. You know it’s Abuja; before we pay rent, fix the shop, and pay dues, where is the rest of the money to stock up and sell? Let’s not even talk about other costs: electricity, transportation, repairing damage, paying salesperson, and so forth. Overall, this is the cheaper option,” she added.
Asked about the risk of being picked up by the authorities of the FCT for violating any state codes against illegal marketplaces, Bose replied, “What are they going to do? ‘Demolish’ my vehicle the way they demolish illegal structures? This is a public place. Don’t I have rights?”
Mallam Ibrahim, who sold men’s clothing materials, also stated that the nation’s capital did not encourage the ease of doing business as everything was always too expensive and unaffordable.
“Just this week, I have spent over N20,000 on fuel. That is to transport to a business that is hardly putting anything back into my pocket. And then to set it up in an official store is even worse; it’s a cost I cannot even afford to think about. So, this is easier for me,” he said.
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has announced that the portal for student loan applications will officially open on May 24, 2024.
This development is part of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund’s efforts to enhance access to higher education, as stated by the Fund’s media lead, Nasir Ayantogo, on Thursday night.
According to Ayantogo, the launch of the application portal is a significant step in President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to providing accessible and inclusive education for Nigerian students.
This initiative follows the signing of the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, by President Tinubu on June 12, 2023 which aims to provide interest-free loans to financially disadvantaged students pursuing higher education in Nigeria.
Dele Alake, a member of the former Presidential Strategy Team, noted that this move fulfills one of President Tinubu’s key campaign promises to liberalize funding for education.
The Act, popularly known as the Students Loan Law, also established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to handle all loan requests, grants, disbursements, and recoveries.
Initially, the government announced that the scheme would launch in September, but it faced several delays, resulting in an indefinite postponement in early March.
The Presidency attributed the delay to President Tinubu’s directive to expand the scheme to include loans for vocational skills.
Following a briefing from the NELFUND team led by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, on January 22, President Tinubu instructed the Fund to extend interest-free loans to Nigerian students interested in skill-development programs.
President Tinubu stressed the importance of including those who may not seek university education, noting that skill acquisition is equally as important as earning academic degrees.
He had said, “This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas.
“This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation.
“In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,”
Through the portal, students can now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints.
According to the statement, the portal features a user-friendly interface, allowing students to conveniently submit their loan applications.
The statement added, “We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity to invest in their future and contribute to the growth and development of our nation. Students can access the portal on www.nelf.gov.ng to begin application.”
President Bola Tinubu received Senegal’s newly elected President, Bassirou Faye, at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Thursday.
Faye, who arrived at 3:09 p.m., is making his first official visit to Nigeria since taking office last month.
At 44, he is the youngest president in Senegalese history, having secured a decisive victory in April’s delayed presidential election with over 54% of the vote.
More to follow……..
In the devastating arson that occurred on Wednesday during an early morning prayer in Gaza village near Gezawa in Kano State, eleven people have been confirmed dead.
The perpetrator, 38-year-old Shafiu Abubakar, set fire to a mosque amidst an inheritance dispute, trapping around 40 worshippers inside.
Rabiu Gadan, a resident of the village, disclosed that 11 individuals have tragically succumbed to the burns they suffered.
Of these victims, eight have already been laid to rest, while preparations are underway for the burial of the remaining three, scheduled for Thursday.
Rabiu revealed that the attack was not the first instance of violence involving Shafiu. Previously, he had assaulted two of his older brothers and then voluntarily surrendered himself to the police, claiming responsibility for their deaths.
Another resident, Malam Garba, said, “He has always been troubled, but when he challenged his family to give him his portion of the inheritance, they did.
“He was even taken to a mental institution once when he attacked his relatives but he was given a clean bill of health. So, he was clearly in his right mind when he set the fire, two of his uncles died and we buried them yesterday already.”
According to BIZTELLERS reports, the assailant is currently in police custody, where he has confessed to his actions.
He cited frustration with the way some of the victims handled the inheritance sharing as his motive. Despite warning his family members to stop maltreating him, he claimed his pleas were ignored.
He however expressed no regret for his actions.
Residents confirmed the existence of an inheritance dispute within the family, but the precise nature of the disagreement remained unclear.
At the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, where the injured were rushed for treatment, distraught relatives anxiously awaited news about the condition of their loved ones.
Maijida, one of the distressed relatives, shared her heartache, expressing fear over the condition of her father and brothers.
“My father and two brothers are severely injured and I was told some people have died already, what will I do if I lose them, I will be left all alone.” she lamented.
One of the residents that attempted to rescue the victims, Musa Muhammad Gadan said, “I was late going to the prayers, but as I was rushing to the mosque, I heard a blasting noise and then I heard people screaming so I rushed over, the flames had engulfed the building, I and some others tried to rescue them and that is how I sustained burns on my arms.
During a visit to the victims at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Deputy Inspector General of Police AIG Umar Mamman Sanda, in charge of Zone 1 in Kano, confirmed the devastating loss of eight lives on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by a delegation of security personnel, including the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
He said, “The suspect was said to be not satisfied with the distribution and was reacting to that. He is presently with us and is giving useful information. It is really unfortunate.”
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