Daniel Efe/Port Harcourt
…Few days after our Correspondent did investigative report plight of traders
Less than a week after Towncrier.ng did an investigative report on March 27 titled: “Traders cry out to Governor Wike to allocate Rumuokoro Market, Stores for safety,” Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State constituted a management Committee for the park and market.
This was contained in a Government House Press Statement signed by Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media.
Governor Wike approves Committee for Rumuokoro Market and Park.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has approved the establishment of a Committee for the Management of Rumuokoro Market and Park.
The Committee approved by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is as follows:. Chief Owhonda Emmanuel is the Chairman of the Seven member committee.. Mrs Ifeoma Rose Ayeoze (Non Indigenous Traders Union Rep) —-Member. Mrs Rose Nwanwa Okoro (Indigenous Traders Union Rep) —–Member
Others include. Mr Wike Sampson Chidi (Obio-Akpor L.G.A. Rep. ) —–Member
Mr Emeka Okocha (Okoro Clan Rep) — Secretary ,while Mr Iyke Orlu (NURTW Rep) —Member and Mr Onu Ikeani — Member.
A statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media noted that the Rivers State Governor directed the members of the Committee for the Management of Rumuokoro Market and Park to liaise with the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects for the immediate commencement of work.
It would be recalled that our Correspondent had drawned the attention of Government to the plight of the” Traders in the popular busy gateway roundabout in Rumuokoro in Obio-Akpor local government crying out to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to quickly intervene to break the bottleneck that has hindered allocation of open and lockup shops in the Ultra-Modern Market and motor park to save them the agony trading openly at the busy Roundabout.
“Investigation carried out by our Correspondent revealed that the good intent of the state Governor Wike, who was a two time Chairman of Obio-Akpor to build the market and park is gradually being defeated as the Market and Motor park commissioned amidst controversy on July 24,2017 are yet to be allocated and put into full use.
“Traders and Taxi drivers spoken to lamented that they are forced to constantly operate at the roundabout exposed to inclement weather and security risks because quite often some them have been ran over by reckless drivers.
“Owhonda Mike and Okechukwu Ibe who are traders in Rumokoro roundabout lamented separately that all their high hopes of benefitting from the open or lockup shops in te new market have been dashed as the shops have not been allocated to potential traders.
According to them “This is the second big market and motor park built within the same area close to the council Secretariat that are not fully allocated for use. There is Obio-Akpor International Market along the popular F-SARS Road in Obio-Akpor and now the new one in Rumuokoro. We are not happy trading close to the ever busy road. Two months ago a Commercial taxi driver was shot dead at the roundabout by a mobile Policeman escorting a company truck”
“A source at the Obio-Local Government Council confided in our Correspondent that there are salient host community issues that needed to sorted out before allocation can commence.
“Due to trading and other commercial activities at the busy roundabout there is always a perennial traffic congestion in the gateway road.”