By Our Reporter
The ultimatum given to Ariaria International Market traders by the governor of Abia State, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu to relocate may have generated controversy in the state,
The traders are reportedly opposed to the move to relocate them due to the limited notice given to them.
The traders in A-line had voiced their concern over the plan to remodel the market due to the limited time they were given to temporarily relocate to shops allotted to them at Ekumi Mall.
Some of the traders said that they lacked confidence in the government, particularly in the areas of getting back their shops after the upgrade of the market.
Recall that the state government had in a statement made known its intention to relocate the traders due to flood issues in the area.
The statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mr John Kalu, said that the state government would use the opportunity to upgrade the market to an international standard.
The state government in the statement turned down a request by the traders to be allowed to fix the affected area themselves, adding that the traders lacked the technical expertise.
The statement reads in part: “Following every heavy rainfall, videos of flooded A-line in Ariaria International Market, Aba, are circulated online by sundry persons apparently to demarket the well-acknowledged efforts of the Ikpeazu led Abia State Government to fix critical infrastructure in the State in a sustainable manner.
“While some of those involved in the video-sharing game may have been recruited by the opponents of the administration for political reasons, it is important to lay before the public the true story of the efforts made by the government to permanently fix the challenge.
“For many years, the story of infrastructure deficit in Ariaria international market revolved around the famous Ukwu Mango and Ama Ikonne floods which proved intractable until the emergence of the Ikpeazu administration in 2015. Indeed many residents and visitors to the area believed they were responsible for the perennial flooding at those locations.
“But having carefully studied the pattern and history of the area, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu hired the best available grade A contractor, Setraco Construction Company, to tackle the challenge, and with the massive work done there by the administration, for the first time in more than 20 years, it is now possible to drive from Brass Junction along Aba-Owerri Road to Ariaria junction of the Enugu-PH federal highway.
“In addition, Osusu, Okigwe, Samek, MCC, and Umule roads leading to the market have also been fixed while work is ongoing along Omuma Road in what many around the area see as the most far-reaching effort to reclaim what used to be the second most flood-impacted axis of Abia.
“With the work done along Faulks – now Sam Mbakwe – Road, the government realised the need to tackle flooding within Ariaria market, especially at A-line, which was made worse by the new elevation of the reconstructed Faulks Road. A decision was made by the state executive council to reconstruct A-line as well as remodel the market shops to deliver a more befitting modern market.
“But for some reasons, some established traders resisted the effort and even promised to fix the challenge themselves rather than relocate temporarily to a designated area within the market complex.
“To push toward its agenda of modernisation and permanent flood control of the area, the government subsequently endorsed an MOU with a private investor, Blessed Henken, a reputable company with prerequisite experience that proposed to remodel the market with existing allottees serving as off-takers”.
