AKSG CONFISCATES EMPTY SHOPS; BANS STREET TRADING

Akwa Ibom State Government has revoked the right of ownership of Akpan Andem Market and taken over the 1,600 unoccupied stalls hitherto left unused by their owners.

While addressing a town hall meeting at Uyo Local Government Secretariat today, the Governor said the confiscated shops would be given free to the displaced traders soon to be relocated from Uyo Main Market to allow government reconstruct the place to an ultra-modern standard.

 On the empty shops that were left unused since their allocation to the owners, Akpabio said there was no point for people to acquire shops they never intended to use, thereby depriving others of opportunity of where to sale their wares. Consequently, he directed those concerned to collect their money from the government.

In addition, the governor disclosed that those who did not have legally identified stores in Etuk Market, are to be provided a space too, while the entire adjourning streets of Uyo Main Market and Etuk Market are to be acquired by government for expansion and reconstruction of an ultra-modern market.

Although, he said no sentiment or politics would be brought into the issue of Uyo market, Governor Akpabio assured the people that the market would not be relocated because doing so would deny Uyo village the rights

 Governor Godswill Akpabio who also announced immediate ban on street trading in the state further challenged Uyo people to help government fish out the perpetrators of illegalities in the market especially those who killed one Elder Moses Austine during the crisis.

“I am a very sad man, as a result of the killing that happened in that market. It is not good to shed the blood of an innocent person. There is a way we could behave and attract curses on our entire family. What crime did that man commit that warranted butchering him like a goat? Are you aware that he had a wife and eight children?” the governor lamented.

“I don’t know if we needed to shed blood before we see that Uyo has changed. Uyo was once a local government headquarters; but Uyo has since become a state capital. And Uyo has turned from being a town into a metropolis. Uyo is about to have a flyover; Uyo is about to have an international airport. Things have changed in Uyo. And therefore, Etuk Street market must change”, he added.

While commending the police for restoring peace and ensuring that the wares left in the market were not looted, Chief Akpabio said government viewed the killing of even one Akwa Ibom son seriously and would do everything to avenge his untimely demise.

He warned that if the culprits were not punished and be seen to be punished by the society, it meant that could happen to any other person and he would be equally abandoned.  “The life of everyone is important”, the governor said.

The Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Dr Chris Nyong, commended the governor for the prompt intervention in resolving the crisis which speaker upon speaker said had been brewing for long in the market as some persons had constituted themselves into a nuisance by collecting illegal levies.

He assured the government that the people of Uyo would give their utmost support to ensure that the displaced traders were adequately accommodated.

The Paramount Ruler of Uyo, Edidem Silas Akpan urged the people to support the Akpabio-led administration in a bid to rebuild the market to a befitting status.

Edidem Akpan assured that after completion of the market, the people stand to benefit.  

The youth leader of Uyo, Mr Unwana Okon, had told the governor that part of the reasons for the crisis at Etuk street was that some individuals who went as far as extorting N5,000 from each trader before allotting a space.

He also alleged that the hoodlums who caused the mayhem in the market were hired from outside Uyo to attack the government officials.