DEMOLITION OF ABRAKA MARKET.... Okowa Gives Reasons
"The government has ordered the relocation of the
traders in order to nip in the bud, the security challenges posed by the market
and give Asaba a facelift".... Sen. Okowa
"The large expanse of land housing the market would be put into
adequate use rather than the illicit activities hitherto going on there".
The
Delta state Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has provided reasons as to why his
administration demolished Abraka Market in Asaba.
According
to reports gathered from top aides of the government, the demolished Abraka
Market has constituted a huge security risk, making it a hideout for criminals
involved in heinous crimes.
Fielding
questions from reporters on Saturday after inspecting the demolished market,
Governor Okowa disclosed that the government had ordered the relocation of the
traders in order to nip in the bud, the security challenges posed by the market
and give Asaba a facelift.
He
assured that the large expanse of land housing the market would be put into
adequate use rather than the illicit activities hitherto going on there.
Okowa
warned that anyone that any unauthorized person found there henceforth would be
arrested and made to contend with the law.
He
advised former traders at the market to relocate as government was strategizing
on how to put the hectares of land into good use.
According
to the governor, the demolition was not to witch hunt anyone but was a
deliberate effort to avoid using the land as den of crime and criminality.
He
sued for peace and unity among residents of the state, and assured that his
administration would continue to take decisions that would be to the advantage
of all.
"The
place was such that it was already creating a security problem for us and unfortunately,
we have found that a lot of people were developing brothels in that place and
beyond that, it has become a criminal hide-out and we took that decision at the
state security council that we needed to ensure that we are able to secure
Asaba.
"And,
in our plan to secure Asaba, we agreed that there was the need for the whole of
that place to be bulldozed and people there relocated to another part of Asaba;
that relocation has already been done and the place has been brought down.
"Now,
we are going to think through and see what development we can bring to that
place to put it into good use.
"But
apparently, the aim for which it was done has already been achieved; we want to
put processes in plan, working with various ministries and our Delta Investment
Development Agency (DIDA), to see what we are going to put in that place
because it's a sizeable land in a prime location that can be used for something
useful," he stated.
The
governor, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr.
Chiedu Ebie, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa and Commissioner for
Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, was conducted round the demolished market by
the Director-General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Mrs
Onyemaechi Mrakpor.
He
also inspected the remodeled Koka junction on Benin-Asaba highway, with park
and monument, executed by his administration through the Ministry of Urban
Renewal and was conducted round the project by the Commissioner in charge of
the Ministry, Chief Arthur Akpowowo.
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