Abia Govt Vows To Enforce No-Street-Trading Order To The Last  Letter, Defaulters Stay Put

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Street trading and other road side business activities are still going on in many parts of Aba ,the commercial hub of Abia state, despise  commencement of the no-street-trading order imposed by  State authorities.

Most of the road side business operators appear not to be perturbed,amidst the beginning of the enforcement of the ban order by the State’s Harmonized Taskforce since Tuesday July 2 2024.

This is even as the President General of the Abia State Almagamated Traders Association, ASMATA ,Sir Alphonsus Udeigbo has called on the traders and other residents to imbibe the culture of adhering to lawful orders of the Government.

The Source reports that for most street traders and business actors, particularly at the Ngwa/Mosque/Old Court roads ,St Michaels,Ehi ,Osisioma junction, Enugu/PortHarcourt Expressway junction by Ariaria International Market and its environs, it is business as usual.

Findings have revealed that street trading, massive displaying of wares on public facilities especially drainages and roads is still heavily going on.

The over three- thousand street traders who have over the years colonized the mosque-Etchie- Old Court roads ,constituting nuisance at the entrance gate of the Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology Aba have continued to carry on undeterred.

However, the enforcement taskforce has so far recorded successes at places like main park ,Old Port Harcourt road by Eziukwu road junction,Abayi,  Afule and Umungasi markets junction .

Defaulters’ wares were confiscated in all the cleared areas by the taskforce team,.

Although the Abia State  Harmonized Taskforce Chairman who is also the state Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Chieftaincy Matters, Prince Uzo Nwachukwu, was not available for comments as at the time of reporting, a taskforce team member told this Magazine that they are all out to enforce the no street trading order.

He assured that the taskforce will soon reach to all the identified street trading spots.

“What we are doing is not just to clear the areas concerned . Anywhere we clear, we put machineries in place to ensure that those cleared do not find space to come back .

“I can assure that every corner of the State that illegal and street business activities are going on will be reached .

“We are warning those involved in street trading to leave before we get to them, because there will be dare consequences for defaulters . let them not think that the  present operation is going to be like others in the past” the taskforce member stated.

In an interview with The Source on Tuesday, July 10, Chief Udeigbo reiterated his earlier call for street traders to relocate to the markets as there are more than enough shops for them.

“You see the problem is that even most of the them operating on the streets have shops inside the markets. But they will leave them and come to the roads, thereby endangering their lives and constituting nuisance to road users.

“My advice is that we Abia residents should learn to be obeying simple lawful orders.”

Sir Udeigbo who is also the Chairman of the Eziukwu Road Market Aba and the Chairman of all Chairmen of Aba markets applauded Government’s decision to ride the state of street trading.

He called on the enforcement taskforce not to succumb to blackmail and or distraction in carrying out their duties.

He, also, appealed to the State Government not to relent in its efforts to transform Abia major cities.