By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Street traders, hawkers displaying wares on top of drainages and other public utilities in major Abia cities particularly Aba and Umuahia have been given up to July 1,2024 to vacate, or face the full weight of the law by the Abia state Government.
They are either to relocate to thousands of empty shops and other business premises available inside the various markets or close shop.
The Source reports that street trading and business activities outside of lawfully designated areas over the years have been the norm among many traders and business actors ,especially in Aba, the commercial hub of the State.
Efforts by successive administrations, though most times feeble, and usually over ridden by personal and political interests, to halt the ugly trend have been largely futile.
The result has not only been the destruction of public infrastructural facilities, but loss of humongous revenue by the Government.
While several thousands of taxable empty shops and business premises lay fallow in the markets, street business operators continue to oil the pockets of hordes of illegal levy/rent collectors.
From Etchie/Mosque/Old Court Roads Market ,Ngwa Road Market ,Good Morning Market to the popular Ariaria International Markets, all in Aba, illegal revenue collectors feeding on levies from roadside traders continue to smile to the banks.
Conversely, Government continues to reel under excruciating and often debilitating impacts of abysmal internally generated revenue.
While the Abia State Government and the market authorities at Etchie/Mosque Road Market get near zero revenue ,about six families, controlling over 2000 street traders, smile home with N100 Million annually.
The six families, The Source findings have authoritatively confirmed collect N50,000 from each of the 2000 traders under their bait.
Instructively, these street traders who occupy major streets, sanitary lanes and the entrance of the Abia State owned College of Health Sciences and Management Technology Aba, not only do not pay a dime to the State coffers ,but also not recognize the Government appointed leadership of the market.
Only last December, the Abia State Taskforce on Abuse of Public Infrastructure had after a two-month sensitization campaign, warned that effective January 2024, it will commence the enforcement of a total ban on street trading and other abuses of public infrastructures.
Yet, its operations have also been mired by the same age long problem- lack of political will.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday, June 27, by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Izuchukwu Onwughara,the Abia state authorities, warned that they will no longer tolerate the wanton destruction of infrastructural facilities, under the guise of conducting business activities.
“Government is, by this announcement, reminding the general public that transacting businesses on the newly constructed and reconstructed roads in the state and other unwholesome activities like dumping of refuse in the drainages, channelling of borehole and sewage water into the asphalted roads and mechanics repairing vehicles along the roads are prohibited.
“Such activities will no longer be tolerated as they are detrimental to the life span of the roads.
“Consequently, Government is warning defaulters to stop forth with and those who display their wares on asphalted pavement, particularly along Owerri Road in Umuahia, Kent Road ,Jubilee Road ,Ngwa Road ,Port Harcourt Road ,Obohia Road and Enugu/Port Harcourt Expressway by Ariaria market junction all in Aba, to vacate the roads within seven days of this announcement or be prepared to face the law.” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, Traders in Aba on Thursday, held their periodic prayer section, aimed at seeking the face of God.
Speaking at the occasion held at the Eziukwu Road market Aba ,Chairman of All Chairmen of Aba Markets, urged traders and other business actors to always conduct their activities with the fear of God .
He appealed to the traders to refrain from unwholesome conducts and activities capable of undermining Abia state Government, the market leaderships and their personal characters.
Chief Udeigbo,who is also the President General of Abia State Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, particularly urged traders in the state to make efforts to pay their 2024 Abia State Government, statutory levies/rents .
He insisted that the only way traders and business actors in the State can appreciate the good works being done by the Government is to be alive to their obligations, including prompt and regular payments of their levies and taxes .
He assured that ,there are enough spaces/shops inside the various markets to accommodate all genuine and interested traders and business actors desirous to relocate to the markets.
