By Kelechi Ugo
Palpable tension has enveloped traders of New Market located on the ever busy Douglas Road, Owerri, Imo State following the purported plan by the state government led by governor Rochas Okorocha to relocate them to Avu in Owerri West Council Area.
This is a development that brought together all the sectional unions chairmen of the new market led by Rev Azuatalam Moses for a way forward as well as appealing to governor Rochas Okorocha to kindly reverse his decision for immediate relocation of the market since this is the last quarter of the year and a season which all Christians around the globe are preparing for the celebration of Christmas, and a time for individual resolution for the new year.
The Unions leaders disclosed that this is a period in which business activities bubble to its climax for which traders may recover certain lost they have been bearing in many months ago.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the New Market Unions Chairmen, Rev Azuatalam Moses who is also APC mobilizer in Azuzu Ward 111 praised Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Urban Renewal policy.
Rev Azuatalam maintained that New Market traders have been supporting the present rescue mission government in Imo State and shall continue to support governor Okorocha so as to produce a successor who will emulate his pragmatic leadership style come 2019.
Hear him, “this is a critical time to relocate traders. We are making passionate appeal to our amiable governor, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to kindly extend the time frame for the purported relocation exercise. Although, we are not aware that government wants to relocate the entire New Market traders. We are only aware that, Old motor spare parts and Tyre dealers applied for relocation for which we were informed that government has allocated four hectres of land at Avu, Owerri West Council Area for them to move in.
Four hectres of land cannot accommodate all the traders of New Market. We cannot destruct government programme. We are appealing to the governor to call us for a town hall meeting where we can indicate pressing issues that would affect us if government wants to relocate us immediately. We shall continue to express confidence on our listening governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha”.
