The Governor of Abia State, Dr.Theodore A. Orji has paid an unscheduled inspection to the new Umuahia Ubani ultra-modern market to see the extent of work at the market site in readiness for the movement of traders at the end of September, 2013 from the old Umuahia main market to the new one at Ubani.
Governor Orji, after the inspection expressed satisfaction with what he saw on ground and confirmed that the movement date from the old market to the new one still stands.
He said that with the movement of the market, the dream of moving the market out from the present site which was muted by the colonial masters since 1935 has become a reality under his administration.
Governor Orji said that since 1935 all the successful governments including the military have not mustered the political will to move the market out of the city centre, added that he has fulfilled the promise he made to Abians to relocate the market ,in order to give the State capital a new face.
He said that the market has all the facilities needed to make the market very conducive for their business and promised that buses will be made available that will be conveying traders to and fro the market at a subsidized rate.
Meanwhile, the Governor have re-assured the traders that the rumour going round that the government will start the demolition of the old market by the end of the month is not true.
The Governor made this known during an interactive session he held with members of Umuahia main market traders Stakeholders at the government house, Umuahia.
He maintained that at the end of the month, the traders will be allowed to remove their goods and whatever they want to remove from the market and after a week, the market will be closed for business before the eventual final demolition to give the State capital a new look.
The Governor reiterated that the prices of the shops have been subsidized, stated that owners of shops at the old market will be made to pay only 420,000 Naira and those who have no shop at the old market will be made to pay only 520,000 Naira after they all must have paid the initial 120,000 Naira only, for the allocation of a shop at the new market which the balance will be spread within a period of four years.
The leader of the old main market traders, Elder Usim Kalu Umeh assured the Governor that they are ready to move to the new market once everything is put in place and they thanked the governor for keeping to his promise of providing them a conducive business environment.
As at the last count, the leaders of the traders confirmed that over 3,000 traders have paid the initial allocation deposit as demanded by the Government and are waiting for the committee in charge of allocations to show them their shops for effective movement and occupation.
Source: Gov. Orji inspects Ubani modern market, confirms traders movement to the new market at the end of this month. (http://fmi.gov.ng/latest/30657/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gov-orji-inspects-ubani-modern-market-confirms-traders-movement-to-the-new-market-at-the-end-of-this-month)
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria