Shop owners in Baga, Jebba town, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, have appealed to the state government not to increase the rent of shops erected by Shaaba Lafiagi administration in 1992.

The government, accoding to the traders had increased the rent in each shop by 25 per cent, from N9,000 to N12,000 per annum.

The traders said that the increment would compound the hardship they were experiencing in the face of recent economic downturn in the country.

A representative of the shop owners, Mr Musa Danlaji, who spoke wth Community News on the matter, said: "since the shops were erected by former Governor Shaaba Lafiagi, shop owners have been the ones maintaining it without assistance from the government."

He specifically  said that at present, the ceiling of his shop was leaking, adding that he used to place a container at the point of leakage when there was rain.

"Most of us are just managing what we sell in the shop to sustain ourselves and the  family, there is no much gain.

"All I sell in this shop is just CDs, now we are told that our rent will be increased from N9, 000 to N12, 000 yearly," he said.

Musa added that the state government could not be blamed, adding that some individuals rent 10 shops at the rate of N9, 000 each then turn it to business by sub-letting them to other people for higher prices, just  for their own gain.

In the same vein,  Mrs Chinwe Amadi, lamented that "what I profit from the food I sell is not that much, but with little profit, I try to maintain my shop and my family; and also struggle to keep my business going.

"If by any chance the rent is increased then, I wonder how I am going to cope."

She emphasised that she thought that the shops were erected to help the community, "I see no reason the government will have to increase the rent rate."