Displaced traders at Ahia-Udele (Waterside Market), Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State have asked for the government’s assistance to recover their losses.
Recall that the Abia government recently demolished shanty shops around the popular Aba abattoir which shares the same location with Ahia-Udele following the recent accident that too many lives.
Chairman of the Market, Mr Alphaeus Ajiogu made the call on behalf of the traders at the weekend during an interview with newsmen at the Goodmorning Market, Aba where they were asked to relocate.
News Echo reports that after the accident that claimed many lives at the Ahia Udele on Feb. 3, the state government ordered the traders’ immediate relocation and later demolished the market on Feb 4.
According to Ajiogu, “Many of us traders at Ahia-Udele live in Obingwa Local Government Area and it costs much for us to get to Goodmorning Market where they have asked us to relocate to.
“The most challenging issue we have now is that the road to the market from Obingwa which is Pepple’s Road, just adjacent to the Aba River Bridge is in a deplorable condition but we are managing to pass through it now because of the dry season.
“So we are begging the government to reconstruct Pepple’s Road to enable us and our customers who come from neighbouring Obingwa and Ikot-Ekpene in Akwa-Ibom State to easily access Goodmorning Market.
“We are also asking the government to please assist us with some money because that sudden demolition of the Waterside Market caused us many losses as we did not remove our properties and wares.”
Ajiogu also urged the government to ensure that the new abattoir at Omuma-Uzor, Ukwa West Local Government Area is completed soonest and that it is not allowed to harbour any meat market but used for killing cows only.
He also asked for the roofing of the shops given most of their members at the Goodmorning Market and to fill with sand parts of the market which is in a valley to secure their goods and make movement easier.
Chairman of Goodmorning Market, Mr Esinna Ogbonna said the market has over 4,000 unoccupied shops but many are not roofed so he called on the government to help the roofing of the shops to secure people’s goods.
Ogbonna also asked for the grading of the roads in the market and for the provision of electricity in the market to enable those using electricity to do business.
He thanked Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for giving the relocated traders three months moratorium to trade without paying rents to help them survive.
