The Chairman of the National Association of Scraps and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), Kantagowa branch, Alhaji Bala Mohammed Gambo, led members of his association and the United Brothers Motor Spare Parts Association, Kantagowa branch, to their newly allocated site.

The traders, who had been served evacuation notices from their base in the Kantagowa area of Abule Egba, Lagos, were moved to a new location to allow for drainage construction.

The new site was officially handed over to them on Thursday, October 15, 2026, by the Chairman of Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA, Hon. Abiodun Ejigbadero, who was physically present to perform the handover

The Chairman was on hand to hand over three acres of land to the affected traders whose shops and offices fall within the drainage channel in the Kantagowa area. The new location in the Amikanle area will ensure continuity of their businesses.

Hon. Ejigbadero tasked the leadership of the affected unions to ensure the land is properly shared among the three affected groups: NASWDEN, the United Brithers Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, and the Butchers.

Members of the two associations present during the allocation — NASWDEN and the United Brothers Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association — had earlier expressed anxiety over whether the chairman would show up, having earlier promised to hand over the site for their use.

They were relieved when they saw the chairman arrive at the location with some of his staff and aides.

Their concern followed an earlier visit to the area when they were told that parts of the location had been allocated to other people, while other portions were being sold. This prompted them to insist that the chairman must come in person to show and hand over the allocated area to them properly.

The unions have since commenced work on the site and have started constructing drainages in parts of the location.

The union leadership, however, appealed for more time before complying with the evacuation notices served on them at their Kantagowa base, which elapsed on Thursday, October 15.

Speaking during the handover, one of the union leaders sought to know the modality for the new location and enquired whether they would need to sign any agreement documents or if the land was being given to them for permanent use.

The Chairman of Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA stressed that the market belongs to the government. He explained that following the evacuation notice served on the traders in Kantagowa to pave the way for a drainage channel, he had to seek support from the state government before the Amikanle location could be secure having been served even before the chairman came into office.

According to the chairman, the government had served the traders evacuation notices many years ago, even before he became chairman, but they had refused to leave the area.

 This, he said, had resulted in parts of the area being allocated to other people.

The traders therefore appealed for more time to vacate their base in Kantagowa, noting that work is currently ongoing at the new location. 

They said it would take a while before the place is ready for use, as it is still virgin land, and considering the amount already spent and what would still be needed to make it usable.

Responding, the chairman said he is not in charge of extending the deadline, adding that he had received a marching order from the state government regarding the drainage project, which he said had already been paid for by the state government.