Assessment of Street Trading Activities in Public Spaces (Ikorodu Motor Garage), Ikorodu, Lagos

Abstract

The present study examined socio-economic characteristics of commuters patronizing street traders, assessed factors responsible for patronizing street trader, investigated the perceived environmental hazard and assessed perceived spatial implications of street trading in Ikorodu motor park, Lagos State, Nigeria. The experimental survey research design was employed to first determine the average daily carrying capacity of the motor park (15,830 persons per day), while the sample size was 100, based on the Taro Yemane sample size formula. The 100 sets of questionnaires were used as the data collection instrument and it was administered to the patronizers of street traders. The purposive non-probability sampling technique was used. Data analysis adopted both descriptive (tables, Likert Scale) and Inferential (Factor analysis). The study established a preponderance of males over females and the majority of respondents had attained secondary education and were single (unmarried). Affordability, availability and location were revealed by the 5-point Likert scale output as factors most responsible for street trading patronage. Results of factor analysis for factors responsible for patronage of street revealed a K.M.O. value of 0.735, at Bartlett’s test significance level of 0.000. The communality of values revealed attractiveness (47.1%) as the least and availability (77.7%) as the highest. There was a cumulative total of 64.74% with a variance of 5.35% and 8.51 “at” and “after” extraction. It was also revealed that noise pollution, air pollution, and violence were the major perceived environmental hazards, while congestion, waste disposal, and obstruction of drainage systems were the perceived spatial implication of street trading activities in Ikorodu garage. The study concluded that street trading is properly included in the formal urban setting to enhance effectiveness, functionality and aesthetics.

Factors influencing road setbacks and urban open space encroachment by traders in Nigeria: A narrative review

“…[19] asserted that most of the hawkers and squatters that encroached on the roadside right of way or urban green space do that out of ignorance about the extant planning and development control laws and legislation and their presence in the space for economic survival attracts others that join them, and this constitutes free traffic flow hindrance and environmental sanitation issues. [6], [15], [17] revealed that the majority of those involved in the hawking, street trading and squatting activities by the roadside, open space or in the traffic are those with low levels of education or that haven't gone to school, so it is a survival venture for them because they lack the qualification that can make them be engaged into formal employment.…”

“…The starting capital is low for hawking or street trade activities by vendors along the roads or in urban open spaces, this is according to [6], [16], [17], [20], so it is very easy to commence, and this is among the major factors that encourage or facilitate the low-income people of the society to engage in it.…”

“…According to [6], [16], [17], the high rent cost of shops or stall in the markets which are not affordable for many low-income populace encourages most vendors that hawk or trade or squat by the roadside or open urban green spaces for their economic activities for daily livelihood to do so because they could not afford the rent payment to secure stall in the market place or mall nearby. [17], [14] asserted that the lack of urban growth planning by the appropriate authority has encouraged the growth of the encroachment of the urban open space and right of way of the road by the vendors that engaged in trading or squatting which infringe on the roads and open space legislation.…”

“…Other definitions of green space include forest land, farmland, and parks, or forest land, agricultural land, and grassland. Consequently, from a different angle, [6] described Urban public spaces as designated social areas that are open to the public and easily accessible, such as streets (including paved ones), public squares, playgrounds, mosques, churches, boulevards, parks, shopping centres and plazas, beaches, and marketplaces. The placement of these areas is particularly crucial socially since it is one of the most identifiable elements of every metropolis where people walk about every day.…”

Assessing the challenges faced by informal street traders operating in Durban, South Africa

“…Although this sector contributes significantly to employment at the global, continental and national stage, its operators encounter a lot of constraints. Other researchers in different countries have discovered that violence, poor hygiene, lack of business skills, municipal harassment, difficulty in accessing capital as some of the many constraints of informal operators (Ajakaiye et al, 2020;Fourie, 2018;Magalhães, 2015;Muthusamy & Ibrahim, 2016). Therefore, the current study set out to discover the constraints faced by informal street traders located in Durban (also known as the city of eThekwini), situated in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal (one of South Africa's nine provinces).…”