Abia State Government, Dr. Alex Otti has pledged to revamp and modernize the Eziukwu Road Market in Aba, following a recent fire outbreak which occurred on Monday night.
Governor Otti who made the pledge during his visit to assess the extent of damage at the Market, promised that the state government would assist traders who lost their goods in the inferno.
The Governor acknowledged the deplorable state of many shops in the market and questioned the integrity of the structures.
He emphasized the need for modernization and structural reinforcement to bring the market up to contemporary standards.
“If you look at these shops, you will agree with me that alot of them need some modernization and renovation. Some of them need to be pulled down and rebuilt.
“Just like I promised to do in Ngwa road, I also will do here.
“If you l take a look at these shops, you’ll see that the integrity is questionable. It looks like something that would collapse very soon.
“As a responsible government, we would not allow it to happen”, Governor Otti remarked.
Governor Otti therefore directed relevant authorities, including the Greater Aba Development Agency (GADA), to commence immediate efforts towards modernizing the market and addressing structural defects.
The Governor while citing a similar incident at Ahia Ohuru, Ngwa Road Market which occurred last week, emphasized the need for the traders to exercise caution so as to prevent future occurrences.
“It’s disheartening to witness such devastation, but we must learn from this and take precautions to avoid such tragedies in the future“, Governor Otti stated.
He urged the affected traders to remain resilient in the face of adversity and expressed his sympathy, pledging that the state government would assist those who lost their goods in the inferno.
Governor Otti thanked the public for their support and reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to delivering on his campaign promises, and added that his administration is committed to ensuring democracy dividends to the people of Abia State.
