The resolution of the Abia State executive council to build a new market at Afara Ibeku to relocate traders still hanging at the former location of the main market, popularly known as Isi Gate, instead of the present main market, has confirmed the fear that the Government may abandon the Umuahia main market at Ubani Ibeku.
New Telegraph reports that the Umuahia main market was moved to the present location at Ubani Ibeku by former Governor Theodore Orji to decongest and expand the capital city but while some traders refused to relocate to Ubani others stayed still at the Isi Gate area and adjoining streets. The result is that the Ubani market was abandoned to dilapidate, overtaken by grass and vandalized.
Unfolding the resolution to journalists, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said the project was part of the urban renewal and beautification initiative undertaken to make Umuahia a smart city and real State capital.
He said the relief market at Afara was conceived as an alternative to Isigate in order to decongest the area presently used by the traders.
“The idea”, according to the Commissioner, “is to decongest the part of State capital. At the Afara market site, the following issues have been taken care of, allocation of suitable land for the market has been identified and completed, acquisition of land for the market has been completed and compensation duly paid to the land owners and the building of a perimeter fencing down the market is ongoing.”
Kanu explained that the government was intentional about the initiatives saying that the relocation was geared towards making way for a new bus terminal and other transport and beautification projects around the part of the State capital.
He said the relocation would happen any moment though the government has not set any deadline, ”Once the market is completed everybody will be moved to the market at Afara.
“The market is going to have a good environment, fire service facilities security as well as fenced round.”
Other measures outlined in the initiative include “the construction and expansion of 1.385 kilometre Bank Road into a two-lane road on either side of the median and this comes with some drainage improvement works, by the time that project is done with, it would be a new look towards the government House from either side of Okpara Avenue or from FMC.”
Also the construction of bus shelters within Umuahia, which civil works is ongoing at about 10 proposed shelters, as well as three Housing projects in Umuahia as New Umuahia and one in Ukwa.
