‘Why we are building clusters in Aba’

Abia State government has stated that it is encouraging traders and artisans to form clusters and build model markets of their own in Aba because such move would assist in ending street trading, enhance security, boost revenue generation and enable traders to access federal government loans.
Senior Special Assistant to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Trade and Investment, Jude Udeachara, while enumerating these advantages during an interview with select newsmen in Umuahia, disclosed that government was currently engaging about six groups of traders and artisans in Aba to build model markets.
The groups according to him include Aba Heavy Motor Parts and Tyre Sellers Association (AHMPATSA) which is building its N1.5 billion modern market at Alaoji; Shoe and Garments Markers Association now building their own cluster at Umukalika and Abia GSM and Components Dealers Association who recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Logistics De-Luke for building of a N2 billion Mall along Ngwa Road in Aba.
Others are Tile Sellers, as well as Plant Sellers and Repairers Association.
He disclosed that in addition, a private developer, Transtel, is building a modern abattoir for all butchers in Aba at Obrete.
According to Udeachara, government assists the groups to acquire lands and allow them to design and supervise the building of the markets which are built on owner-occupier basis.
He further disclosed aside from those incentives, that government also provide, at least, two-kilometre internal road for each of these clusters, a suitable.
Generating set that has the capacity to provide the electricity needs of the traders and electrification of the markets.
“I have particular assignment to help develop markets, to take out street traders and then try to engage them to form clusters and we give them a site or encourage them to acquire the site themselves and then we assist them develop those sites into standard, international markets,” Udeachara further explained.
Speaking on the advantages of building the model markets, the governor’s aide said it would decongest Aba and promote security and environmental sanitation.
“So, when we take this big population out of the streets of Aba into what we call exclusive, secluded areas, where they can be better managed, the streets of Aba will be decongested and neater; traffic flow will be freer and Aba will be very habitable.
“It will be easier to monitor the movement of goods and persons and for the Police to monitor fewer numbers of people, as well as for the local vigilante and residents to monitor movements, so that incidents of kidnapping and armed robbery will be reduced in Aba,” he said.
“In the larger picture, it will be easier for government also to have revenue targets and achieve them because it will be easier to collect approved revenues; you just come to each point and the unions will easily gather those revenues and remit to government,” he added.

 

UDOKA AGWU, UMUAHIA