Some street traders doing business in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, have appealed to Rivers State Government to extend the ultimatum given to them to stop selling on the road. The traders include those who sell around Education bus stop, Mile 1, and Emenike by Ikwerri road.
You would recall that the Rivers State Government had recently given the petty trades in front of the New Building of Rumwoji Market, popularly called the New Mile 1 Market ultimatum to vacate within seven(7) days or face forceful ejection.
The ultimatum came as the construction company wants to put finishing touches to the parking lot and join it with Ikwerre road.
This ultimatum does not go well with the Petty Traders in that place as some of them interviewed have fear that they may not return back. They therefore plead with the government to extend the time given to them so as to make alternative arrangement.
Some others said that they need time to sell off their perishable goods.
In an interview with our reporters, a trader said they began selling along the road after the Mile 1 market was burnt in December 2013. They are calling on the state government to extend the deadline given to them to vacate.
“The truth remains that these Petty road traders and hawkers have always constitute problems to every administration in Rivers State by carrying their wares even at the middle of the road, thereby blocking the flow of traffic. This made the previous administration in rivers State destroy their goods, umbrellas/canopy and tables at every point in time”.
Governor Wike administrations has been following them with maturity and passion
“Now that the government wants to make the market accessible, neat, and construct a parking lot for the lucky traders who will occupy the stores/shops and their customers it becomes inevitable and necessary for them to vacate so that the beauty of the building will come out”.
Again, this is to avoid risk of vehicles running over the petty traders and their goods.
“As the building has been completed, it becomes obvious that their vacating that place is not only to bring out the beauty of the structure but in preparation for the commissioning of the new market building”.
