Ebonyi Govt To Convert Abakpa Market To Housing Estate
Following the successful relocation of traders from Abakaliki main market, the Ebonyi state government has unveiled plans to transform the defunct market to a low-cost housing estate with relaxation centre.
The special assistant to the state governor on fruit and vegetable market development, Mr Emmanuel Uzor, who made the disclosure during the demolition of the defunct market said the planned estate would have about 500 housing units, mini vegetable market and relaxation centres.
Uzor, who also supervises the capital city, further disclosed that the proposed relaxation centre was already in the master plan of the state designed to transform the state capital into choice city in the south east and Nigeria.
According to him, with the relocation of the market, the state government would convert all the former commercial buildings to residential homes.”
The defunct Abakpa main market situated at the heart of Abakaliki metropolis, was established 1972. However, following population explosion, the state began the process of relocating the market along the Abakaliki/Ogoja high way under the Martin Elechi administration.
On the crisis that nearly derailed the relocation of traders to the new site, Uzor clarified that the litigations were not about ownership of the structures in the market, but the lease agreements.
“Some of them who went to court that time didn’t go to court because they were dragging the property. They went to court because they felt the ejection was not favourable to them with some arguing that if they had five shops at the defunct Abakpa market, they should be given five shops at the international market. The government said they were not the same thing.”
Uzor continued that “After the enumeration, we will do integrity test of all the privately owned buildings that are around there. What we do is if we check the building and it passes the integrity test, the owner will remodel the building to accord with the master plan.”
On the fate of those who could not afford the shops, Uzor disclosed that the state government was building a big open market where those selling vegetable will stay. “That is where we are selling a square meter N500,000 and it becomes your own for life. No more umbrella, we accommodated everybody including recharge card sellers. That is why we don’t want to have street hawking at the Akanu Ibiam Grand Arena.”
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