The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Imo State, Comrade Simon Ebegbulem has declared that Eke Ukwu ancestral market of the Owerri people is back on track.
He stated this when he undertook an on the spot inspection of ongoing construction work at the market.
According to him, governor Hope Uzodimma, decided to rebuild the market and upgrade it to modern international standard in order to assuage the pains of many, especially the original traders whose source of livelihood were affected following the demolition of the market by the Rochas Okorocha administration and also to restore the ancestral market of the indigenes of Owerri.
Recalled that a little boy called Somto was killed when forces loyal to former Governor Okorocha demolished the market making the traders and indigenes who were shop owners stranded since then.
Comrade Ebegbulem disclosed, however, that government has verified and confirmed the original traders and assured that they will be given priority attention in the allocation of new shops at a discounted rate. He assured that the first phase of the market will be ready in a couple of weeks and the traders will move in immediately.
He said: “The popular Eke Ukwu market is back and we are happy that it is back. You can see that the first three blocks of 20 bigger shops in each are almost ready. In a couple of weeks they will all be ready and traders will move in.
“His Excellency heeded to the cries of the people of Owerri that this market be brought back and as a man that cares for his people, he decided that this is going to be one of the priority projects of his administration”.
Commissioner Ebegbulem stated that it will have all the facilities of a modern market including car park, banks, clinic, pipe borne water, toilet facilities etc and called on the youths and indigenes of Owerri to continue to support the project by protecting and safeguarding equipment and materials.
Debunking the insinuation that government and the indigenes were at logger heads over the construction of the maket, he explained that “recall that due to the way and manner the market was demolished by the Okorocha-led administration then, the indigenes went to court to fight for their rights.
“But when His Excellency, Governor Uzodimma came on board and expressed his willingness to erect a modern market, the indigenes were excited and I can tell you we have been given a lot of support by the elders and youths of the communities involved.
“They are very happy with the state government. We have no issues at all. What you hear as issue is what happened in the past between the Owerri people and the former administration. The Owerri people has been very supportive of this administration and what ever issues that arose due to the actions of the former administration I can assure you is being addressed by His Excellency the governor ” he stated.
Taking the Commissioner round the market project, Architect Ugonna Okwara representing the development partner Amanda Global Integrated Projects stated that they are building in phases with about 1200 in the first phase and more than 3000 shops on the whole when completed as designed. He assured that the first phase which is 50% of the job will be ready by August.
