Traders in Umuahia Main Market have continued to make last minute efforts to remove their goods from the market for fear of possible demolition of the market by government.
The state government had ordered the traders to relocate to the new market at Ubani-Ibeku village, near Umuahia, on or before October 19.
The state government had said that it was relocating the market to a new site, to decongest the state capital and build a modern market with more space for the traders.
Some of the traders seen carting away their stock from the market on Sunday, said that they feared that government would demolish the market on Monday.
They said that the state government had done such in the past, citing the experience at the Timber and Industrial Market Umuahia relocated to Azueke Ndume as examples.
Some traders at the Timber and Industrial Market lost their goods during the demolition of the market, following the expiration of the deadline given to them to relocate.
“I do not want to have such ugly experience,’’ a female trader, who was seen removing her stock, said on the condition of anonymity.
The middle-aged woman, who deals in assorted wine and hot drinks, described the relocation of the market as “ill-timed.’’
She lamented that the Ubani-Ibeku market was not ready yet for business, saying that traders were moving the wares from the market to their homes “to escape the imminent demolition’’.
“Government should have waited until the completion of the market before issuing a deadline for traders to relocate,’’ she said.
She said the traders were facing enormous challenges posed by the relocation of the market.
Another trader, Mr Nwanayobi Udeh, however, said that the relocation of the market was the best policy so far taken by Gov. Theodore Orji, the challenges notwithstanding.
Udeh commended Orji for mustering the political will to relocate the market out of the city centre, saying that the governor had accomplished what past administrations could not
“Many administrations in the past had planned to relocate the market could not achieve that,’’ he said.
He noted that the relocation of the market would create room for the redesigning of Umuahia into a befitting state capital.
He added that it would also result in further development of the communities within the Umuahia Capital Development Territory.
A cosmetic dealer, Mr Eze Udoh, who also spoke in the same vein, appealed to the government to pay compensation to owners of shops in the old market for losing them.
Udoh said that he bought his shop for N1.3million in 2009, and added that it would be regrettable to lose it, only to pay for a new one without compensation.
The traders also enjoined the government to provide adequate security at the new market.