Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Northern traders at the Regional Cattle Market, Umuchieze in Umunneochi Local Government Area, have regretted their initial opposition and resistance to the move by the Abia State Government to fence the market.
The traders who explained that their action was based on misconceptions and erroneous thought that Government was using the move as a ploy to chase them away from the State, said they “now understand better.”
Vice Chairman of the cattle market, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdullmidu, who made the confession when the Deputy General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, Mr Peter Ekekwe, visited the market on inspection tour, said the traders “are now convinced” that the State Government was genuinely seeking their good.
He thanked Gov. Alex Otti for proving that he truly had the interest of traders at heart, and pledged their support to his second term bid.
He also pledged the traders’ cooperation with government to reciprocate its goodwill and investment which had helped to improve security around the vicinity.
“We are happy now with what Government is doing and we’ll obey everything they tell us to do. Initially we thought they were going to pursue us out of this place. That was why there was resistance when the fencing work was to start. But now we’re convinced that Government means well for us. Today, we enjoy security unlike before.”
“We want Otti to go for another term and we’ll support him. He has shown us love and everybody is happy with him. I mean, all our people are now very happy with what he is doing, and we’ll vote for him again,” he said.
Recall that the announcement by the State Governor that the market would be fenced to help curb insecurity, elicited stiff opposition from the Northern traders although Government was never deterrent.
The fencing project has since been completed, and business thriving in the market, while security situation, has also improved very significantly.
Speaking earlier, the ASEPA Deputy GM, hinted that Government was consulting with experts on how to convert cow dung which is produced in large quantities at the market, into biogas for roasting cow legs and skin.
According to him, the project might commence in a month’s time as discussion with the experts was on top gear.
Ekekwe explained that the reason Government had not stopped used of tyres to roast animals was because it first wanted to provide a better alternative.
“We want to stop the use of tyre in roasting animals. The only delay is because we want to come up with an alternative first. We are consulting with experts on the conversion of cow dungs to biogas. They told us there is enough animal dungs here. In a month’s time, that will begin,” Ekekwe said.
The ASEPA Deputy GM, frowned at the sanitary condition of the market and tasked the traders on regular clean up of the environment.
Warning that Government would no longer tolerate the current poor sanitary condition of the market, the ASEPA boss warned the traders to sit up.
He said: “I’m not impressed with the sanitary situation in the market especially at the abattoir. They can do much better. We have our receptacle buckets all round the market. All we are asking them is to clean up their environment and discharge the waste inside the buckets, and we will cart them away.”
He gave a seven-day ultimatum to traders who erected shops outside the market fenced area to dismantle them and move inside the market or have them demolished.
“We have sent them warnings several times but they ignored them. So, we are here today with the press to give them the last warning. After one week, any shop outside the market will be demolished.
“We want every trader here to be inside the market and not outside. By next week, we will demolition all these shops and goat markets outside the fence if they are not removed.
“The idea behind fencing the market is to enhance its security and monitor who comes in and goes out; and also for aesthetics. These illegal structures outside the fence are defacing the market, and Government won’t tolerate that anymore.”
