Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has ordered the re-sealing of some Abakpa market traders’ shops for dragging the state government to court.
The shops belonging to some of the traders and their residences were sealed during a crisis in the market two months ago and were re-opened for the traders last week.
Umahi gave the directive on Thursday during a meeting with the leadership of Abakpa market traders, building materials and Aluminium market leaders at the Governor’s lodge.
The Governor also announced the extension of the date for the relocation of the market from October 15th to January 10th, 2020, following an intervention from the Christian Association of Nigeria Ebonyi chapter, which pleaded with the Governor to give the traders more time to move to the international market.
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He further directed that the CAN should sign an agreement with the traders to ensure that they will leave the market which is now proposed to be food, fruit and vegetable market in the state.
The governor maintained that all the shops earlier sealed in the market should remain sealed for their owners’ action in taking the government to court while any trader who did not sign the agreement should be ready to leave the market before 10th of next January.
He said, “All the shops that were sealed before should be sealed back today before 2 o’clock; seal also the shops of those that took us to court in building material. He directed that a particular shop known as Day by Day should be sealed up and its owner declared wanted.
“Anybody that wants to bring in politics into this thing I am equal to the task. Some of you went to social media and wrote all kinds of rubbish that you wouldn’t have voted for me. This matter is at a time I don’t need your vote again, if you want to put it that way.
“I have no interest in that place. I was telling FERMA people because they said I can’t stop them work and I said I have right. The least person in this state has the right to stop them because their work is being badly done.
“I am going to move the date of the relocation of the market to 10th of January 2020 to honour CAN, but CAN I must get an agreement from all of them. Anybody that is a market person that does not sign this agreement individually must leave by 10th.
“Building materials and Aluminum, I said it that day in the church that God spoke to me and said you should move to Ezzamgbo building material. You better go there now. The final date for movement is on 10th.
“Why I allow you to still be there is because by November we are going to inject 7.5 billion into the economy to build houses for schools and teachers, we want to patronise you while you are there,” the governor said.
