The Abia State Patent Medicine Dealers Association, Ekumi Plaza Aba, has thrown its weight behind the State Government’s plan to remodel and reconstruct major markets in the State to align with global best standards.
This is even as it has called on Governor Alex Otti,to enure the fulfillment of his electioneering campaign promise of resettling the over 20 thousand traders who lost their shops and business premises to the Ariaria International Market reconstruction efforts of the immediate past administration in the state .
The umbrella body of the arguably single largest traders body in Abia Markets, with an estimated membership strength of ten thousand, spoke through its out-gone Chairman, Chief Chukwuka Okorie, on Thursday, March 14, during the election of a new Executive Body to pilot its affairs.
Chief Okorie said the planned market reconstruction by the State Government, if diligently executed, will lift the status of the markets and mitigate the high rate of fire incidents and flooding that have continued to dog most of the markets ,particularly in Aba .
“The State Government’s decision to remodel and reconstruct some of the major markets is a welcome development. We, the traders, are in complete support of the planned effort.
“For one, most of the markets were established some thirty to forty years ago,and in all honesty, there is the need to bring them to at least National best standards, if not global .
“In building them, certain necessary facilities that add value and provide safety were not considered and we believe that with the planned remodeling and reconstruction efforts, all the identified fault lines will be addressed.
“However, our concern is that the exercise should be carried out in such a way that the original shop owners are carried along and guaranteed of the safety of their investments.
“We are saying this because the efforts of the immediate past administration at Ariaria International Market has, today, left several thousands of original shop owners in pain, with some dead as a result of the loss of their means of livelihood.
“The demolition that preceded the reconstruction efforts saw several thousands of traders losing their shops, the most hard hit being we, the Medicine dealers, and others on the popular A and B lines of Ariaria.
“Some of the Medicine dealers who could afford it had to relocate to the Ecumi Plaza ,while several thousands of others who survived the shock are still stranded”, Okorie stated
He, therefore, appealed to Governor Otti, to make good his promise of returning to the original owners their shops, and added that the traders will forever appreciate him for any efforts to bring succor to them.
“During the last elections, majority of the traders threw their support behind the Governor because we sincerely believed that he will wipe away our tears .
“So far, the Governor Otti has not disappointed going by the serious transformation going on in all facets of Abia State . He has shown capacity, commitment, dedication, and sincerity of purpose within the short period in the saddle, and we are optimistic that his transformation agenda will trickle down to the point of resettling all displaced traders as he promised during the election”
The former Chairman of the Medicine Dealers, also, urged the new leadership of the body to ensure the sustenance of the understanding, cooperation, mutual respect and collaboration that have been existing between the body ,National Food Drugs and Administration Control NAFDAC, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, and added that the cordial relationship has brought about the reign of sanity in the medicine distribution chain at the market .
“Before the election, I appealed to our people on the need to elect credible and committed leadership, which will ensure that sanity continue to dominate in the system. Consumers will be better served and businesses thrive if sanity is allowed to reign” Okorie emphasised
The activities of the medicine dealers will now be coordinated by Chima Amadi, Chukwudi Anams ,Sunday Nwugo as Chairman ,Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively.
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i believe de governor is a God chosen one he will listen to de crying of de poor let de new chairman and his entire exco carry everyone along so dia will be peace and harmony during his reign as a chairman