Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Governor Peter Mbah, has signed an Executive Order relocating the popular Enugu Spare Parts Market, Coal Camp Enugu.
The Order also affected allied trades markets as well as all other related industrial and commercial activities in the Coal Camp and other neighbourhoods within the Enugu Capital Territory, to the site of the new International Spare Parts and Allied Trades Park, Nsude, near Ninth mile corner Enugu.
The new site traverses Udi and Ezeagu Local Government Areas along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
The Executive Order is entitled “the Designation and Establishment of the Enugu International Motor Spare Parts and Allied Traders Park, Nsude, Udi LGA and Ogwofia Owa in Ezeagu LGA and the Relocation of the Coal Camp Neighborhood and other Neighbourhoods in the Enugu Capital Territory to the New Enugu International Motor Spare Parts and Allied Trades Park Site.”
Speaking at the the brief signing ceremony, Mbah assured the traders and general public that the errors and challenges presented by the Coal Camp Spare Parts Market were being effectively addressed in the new one.
“This new market is actually a purpose-built vehicle because it is designed for market in the true sense of the word and with all the supporting facilities. We have taken into account all the safety codes that are required to have an international market.
“As you may already be aware, the construction is ongoing. We are aggressively opening up the roads and also the building itself. That construction has commenced.
“Our hope is that in the next few months, we are going to see the movement of you all from the current location to an international market where we have provided all the services. There is going to be a clinic and fire service there. There is going to be a truck park.
“All the errors, all the challenges and the problems we have in the existing market will all be addressed in the new market.
“We have also made sure that you do not live very far from your market. We have residences around the market. It is an ideal neighborhood concept where you can live comfortably within your neighborhood and still do your trading and businesses comfortably without traveling far to get things done,” the governor said.
In his remarks, the President of Enugu Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, Chief Michael Nomeh, hailed the governor for keeping to his campaign promise after decades of disappointments endured by the traders
“We are so excited about the relocation of the Enugu motor spare parts dealers to the permanent site, which is of international standard.
“We thank the governor for the campaign promise that he has fulfilled. Since the inception of democracy in 1999 to date, there have been so many promises to our people that they will relocate us to the international market. But none of them has kept to their promises. That is why we appreciate the governor for keeping the campaign promises less than two years in office.
“He is a governor whom does exactly what he says he would do,” Chief Nomeh stated.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the Enugu State Investment Development Authority, Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, described both the move and the location of the new site as strategic, noting that the traders would be able to own shops, unlike the present Coal Camp site where most of them rented shops.
He explained that Enugu State Government is committed to the establishment of a commercial hub that will be a self-contained community with the full compliments of the various ancillary and supporting land uses that will create a comprehensive multi-functional commercial and industrial ecosystem in the emerging 9th Miles business corridor of the State.
“This move is a strategic one aimed at boosting our state economy in our drive to a $30bn GDP economy.
“If you know the location of the new place, it is so strategic. You cannot go from the Middle Belt or South South or Cross River or even from Cameroon to Onitsha without passing through there.
“The government is not building to make profit, but for the traders to move to a well-organised and safe environment for trading and living.
“The place is designed to have the commercial sections with shops of different categories, warehouses, workshops, ample parking spaces, water, power, and other utilities facilities.
“There are also residential areas. There are also going to be smart schools, the primary healthcare centers, the fire service station, Police station, the recreational park, and a football pitch. It is a modern place that everybody will be proud to live in. It is built for modern spare part and allied trade professionals,” he added.
