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By Madu Obi
The Anambra State government has commenced the construction of about 1,200 open shops in Awka Capital Territory as an alternative to the demolished shanties and roadside shops in the state capital.
Many artisans and petty traders in the area have been thrown out of business following consistent demolition of their places of business by officials of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, thereby increasing the current hardship among the people.
Managing Director of ACTDA, Ossy Onuko, said the open shops are already being constructed along Club Road, popularly known as Abakaliki Street, while more shops would be constructed at designated junctions within the capital city.
“We have a passionate government and we understand the plight of our people today."
What we are doing is to restore law and order in the state by ensuring that our streets are free of inordinate and uncoordinated street trading and shanties everywhere.
“We are not also oblivious of the fact the society as it is now is facing serious economic challenges and hardship."
“As a result of that, we are deliberately and consciously making efforts to provide alternatives for the street traders that were evicted from where they were staying."
“If you go to Club Road, you will see the construction of over fifty open stores for those people that were evicted from the shanties”
“Go to Regina Caeli, the Keke operators have been given a park and we have also identified five places we call Solution Arena and we shall have those open stores that are built with the state of the art facilities."
“It would have boreholes and wash places where they can go to wash their fruits and vegetables and avert the attendant health challenges of displaying fruits and vegetables along the streets where they gather dust and exposed to contamination.”
Onuko said the traders would not pay for the shops, but a token for the cleaning and maintenance of the shops and their environment.
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