Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has begun the assessment of abandoned market facilities, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, where it hopes to accommodate traders to be taken off the major highways.
It also issued a two-week ultimatum to owners of abandoned shops in some markets, in Ado-Ekiti, to return there or forfeit them to new owners.
Deputy Governor of the state, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, disclosed this when he led an assessment team that included officials of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to Awedele Market in Ado-Ekiti.
READ ALSO: 2,800 VVF patients repaired at National Fistula Center Abakaliki in 9-yrs – MD
A statement, on Friday, by the Special Assistant (Media) to the deputy governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, revealed that the team also visited Okesa, Adere and Agric Olope Markets expected to absorb the traders to be relocated to assess their suitability.
The deputy governor said displaying of wares on major roads was risky to the lives of traders hence the need to make use of alternative markets that are underutilised in the state capital.
Egbeyemi said the lives and property of traders, their customers and other residents are paramount to the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi hence the need to transact business in safer and more conducive places.
Egbeyemi assured that government intends to build more shops in the Awedele Market while other designated markets in Ado-Ekiti would be made conducive for business activities.
He added that the perimeter fencing of the Awedele Market would be constructed to enhance the security of the area and prevent miscreants from gaining access to the premises at night.
Reacting to an observation of the Iyalaje Alaso in Ado-Ekiti and leader of Awedele Market, Mrs. Adefunke Ogunrinde, that some shops were left closed by the owners, Egbeyemi gave two weeks ultimatum to those shop owners to get the shops open or forfeit them to new owners.
Mrs. Ogunrinde explained that work stopped on the uncompleted shops when the previous administration mandated them to pay certain amount of money per 8 (eight) square meters, before they can be allowed to finish the shops.
Egbeyemi said: “The government of Fayemi is different from the previous administration, our government gives listening ears to people, we listen to people’s plight and we will tell you what we can do.
“We will not deceive you, what we will not do, we will not tell you, after the expiration of our tenure we are still coming back to you.
“This place will be fenced round to prevent men of the underworld from gaining access; all the illegal routes to the market would be blocked to prevent miscreants from gaining access to the place.
“There is already an announcement on the radio now, asking traders to move to Agric Olope, all other traders displaying their wares and goods on the road both in Oja Bisi and Okesha market will be relocated here. We don’t want anyone to sell goods on the road again.
READ ALSO: FEC holds extraordinary session Saturday
“We have so many shops that were locked up, for a very long time, by the grace of God it would be open. Send this message to those who own those locked up shops that the government wants everyone to come back to their shops.
“If they don’t come and open up, we will make public announcement that the government is giving them an ultimatum of one week, if we didn’t see them after two weeks we will relocate the shops to others.
We don’t want anyone to be displaying goods on our highways and roads.
“That you were asked to pay certain amount per 8 square meters by the previous administration is not on our plan, when we build the shops, we will negotiate on the amount you will be paying to the government.
The shops were built to make lives comfortable to the people and not otherwise.
“Conduct yourselves when others come, the selling of goods in the market would be in groups; those selling same goods would be put in a place.”