Emmanuel Ugwu with agency report
Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji has declared that he was set to break a 78-year old jinx by relocating the Umuahia Main Market to a more spacious and conducive area.
The relocation of the market, the governor said was to allow for the expansion and beautification of Umuahia, the state capital.
He gave the assurance after inspecting the progress of work on the new market located at Ubani Ibeku area of the capital saying that the September 30 deadline for the relocation was still on course.
He said the traders “are very enthusiastic” about the change. “It is very feasible,” adding that the plan to relocate the main market started in 1935 during the colonial era but that no government had summoned the political will to effect the relocation due to the hostility of the traders each time the relocation was contemplated.
However, Orji said that he made an electoral promise to relocate the market and has backed his promise with the needed political will hence the construction of the new market, comprising over 7, 000 lock up shops.
“I’m sure the people will be better for it. You will see the beauty of a state capital, Orji said, adding: “I’ll feel fulfilled once they (traders) move into this place”.
The governor said that no effort has been spared to make the condition in the modern Umuahia market very good for traders, as provisions were made for adequate water supply, fire station, banks, hospital, school, among other amenities. He also said that a lot of concessions have been made to the traders hence “they have no reason to complain” as the cost of acquiring a shop has been reduced.
Orji explained that payment for the allocation form has been reduced to N20,000, while allocation fee was pegged at N100, 000. After the relocation each trader would be required to pay N300, 000, which would be spread over four years, before they could take full ownership of their shops.
He said new traders, who did not have shops in the old market would pay N100,000 higher. “What government has in mind is not to make money. Money would come to government in the long run,” he said.
Meanwhile, the traders have said they were recording cases of stealing and shop breaking at Umuahia main market, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Correspondent who monitored situation at the market on Friday gathered that because of the nearness of the relocation date, traders refused to pay the monthly security fee.
NAN learnt that the situation forced the security outfit securing the market to withdraw their services.When contacted, the Chairman of Umuahia Main Market Amalgamated Traders Association (UMATS), Mr. Onyebuchi Ejidike, confirmed the reports of stealing at the market.
“Some traders actually reported that their goods were stolen as some whose shops were located along the railway line pulled-out their doors while packing out.
“Because of these rampant movements of traders out of the market, no one could predict what goes on in the market at night,” he said.
A trader who gave her name as Monica Mba told NAN that she lost three bags of stock fish worth more than N500, 000 following the breaking of her shop by criminals the previous night.
Another trader Onwuka Ikoh, who sold beverages said, “Criminals equally broke into my shop and carted undisclosed amount of goods.”
NAN recalled that Abia state government had fixed Sept.30, as the deadline for traders at Umuahia main market to relocate to Ubani-Ibeku.
This is in spite of the delay in the allocation of shops to prospective owner at the new market.
Ubani Ibeku is a community sharing boundary with Uzuakoli in Bende Local Government Area and it is about 10 kilometres to Umuahia.
Traders at Umuahia main market have been divided over their relocation to Ubani-Ibeku as some prefer to relocate to Onuimo, another market located in Obowo, a boundary community between Imo and Abia.
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