Hundreds of traders and other categories of business operators at the popular Trans Amadi-Oginigba slaughter market are appealing to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to reopen the market as to enable them to go back to their various businesses.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had, in May 2020, shutdown the market over non-compliance by traders in the market with COVID-19 protocol.
- Killings: Soldiers’ presence at Rivers oil town sparks controversy
- IPOB kills 6 soldiers, 4 policemen in Rivers, Wike insists
The governor had said that hundreds of those that transact business in the market were not observing all the COVID-19 protocol.
Despite the plea by the leadership of the market that they will observe all the COVID-19 protocol such as provision of water and hand washing buckets, facemasks and hand sanitizers, the market has remained closed.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinius Nsirim, said that the market would remain closed until further notice.
The Trans Amadi market has many sections such as the abattior, food stuff and livestock, among others.
The hundreds of traders who transact business in the market said they were out of business and found it difficult to take care of their families.
A trader in the market who deals in livestock, Cyprian Obu, said that the continued closure of the market was having a multiple negative economic effect on them.
“Since the market was shut down in May, we have been finding it very difficult to cope. Our families are at the receiving end of the continued closure of the market. We can no longer pay our rent; we cannot pay our children’s school fees and meet other family needs. We are really suffering and we want government to consider our plight and open the market,” he said.
Another trader, Usman Muktar, said that livestock was no longer coming to the market because of its continued closure.
“We are finding it difficult to cope with the present situation. I deal in livestock and as we talk now, we don’t get delivery anymore because the market is no longer functioning. Since May when the state government shut down the market as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, we have been put out of business. We have lost all our customers because the market is no longer functioning,” he stated.
Some of the traders in the market especially those that deal in livestock have engaged canvassers who go out to scout for customers and after concluding any deal, the animal is delivered to the customer’s home.
Some other traders have also converted the median of the road to display and sale their wares.
The Chairman of Slaughter Market Association, Alhaji Masunde, had earlier pleaded with the governor to open the market with a promise to ensure that all those that transact business in the market observe COVID-19 protocol but the state government seems not ready to do so.
Governor Wike had, during a meeting with non-indigenes in the state on Monday, announced the government’s plan to rebuild the market.
He said that the market, when completed, would be handed over to competent people to manage.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
