Umahi completes international market, traders relocation starts

The International market which was constructed by the state government with modern facilities has over 8,000 shops. It is located at Tran-saharan highway in the metropolis.

Investors outside the state have started bringing in their goods into the state to sell in the market.

The government constructed , banks, hospital and overhead bridges and car parks to ease traffic congestion in the market.

According to a release signed Chairman of the Central Committee for movement of traders into the International market and Secretary to the state Government, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, traders will start relocating to the market from 3rd of next month.

The statement said traders that deal on tetstile and baby wears, fancy dealers, provisions and Wine beverages, cosmetics and attachment dealers will move into the market on the 3rd of next month while those that sell stationeries, medicine, kitchen utensils, articles and jewelries will move on 5th February.

Following the completion of works at the Margret Umahi International Market and the agreement with the various market unions, the movement of Abakpa and Hossana Traders to the new International market has been scheduled as follows:

The release further noted that traders that deal on foot wears and Rubber slippers, electronics, electrical, phones and accessories will relocate to the market on 6th and 7th February.

Traders that sell bags, luggage, miscellanus goods and bicycle parts, kanda, food stuff and allied commodities will move on 8th, 9th and 10th February, 2020 according to the statement.

“The traders are advised to adhere to this arrangement and comply strictly, as government will not adjust the time table again”, the statement reads in parts.

Speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, Special Assistant to Governor Dave Umahi on Media, Francis Nwaze said the market will provide employment opportunities for the youths, increase the state Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) and connect the state to the world, describing the market as macrocosm of microcosm.

He noted that investors are already trooping into the state to invest in the market.

Meanwhile, traders at Building Material market, Abakaliki, the state capital have expressed their preparedness to relocate to a new place allocated to them by the state Governor, Chief Dave Umahi on 10th of next month.

The traders who commended the state government for approving new place for them, said work was seriously ongoing at the ne site to ensure the 10th February relocation deadline was met.

Chairman of the state building materials association, Ifeanyi Nwudele stated this while speaking with journalists in Abakaliki.

“We thank the state Governor for extending the relocation deadline. The relocation was shifted to 10th February, 2020 instead of the earlier 10th January, 2020.

“We thank him for giving us a place our members(traders) accepted and we assured him that on that 10th February we are expected to relocated to the new site, we must abide by it. We are fully ready to relocate to the new site and that is why we are working day and night on the new site so as to meet up the relocation deadline. We can’t oppose government on the relocation order

“Some group took government to court and it is this that gave me the opportunity to become Chairman of the Association to make sure that all the suits against the government area withdrawn. I went court and discovered that the group use different name other than the Association to sue the government. They use Landlord Association to file those suits and we are not members of Landlord Association, we are building material traders”, he said.

Credit: Ebonyi Online