Traders at the just demolished Owerri main market on Monday 13 November took their protest to the Imo state government house in Owerri demanding to speak with the state governor Owele Rochas Okorocha.
The angry traders who before the demolition were relocated to the Industrial Cluster, Naze caused tension in the area when they blocked the entrance to the government house and refused to leave until the governor addresses them.
The traders who came with various inscriptions of placards, disrupting free flow of traffic said the Okorocha led government of Imo state relocated them to the new market without first ensuring the success of their activities.
According to the protesting traders, the governor still allowed other traders to continue trading in the demolished market while he insisted that they move to the new site at Naze
One of the traders identified as John Okeke told newsmen that “the government just sent us to the Naze Industrial Cluster, but we are suffering there. Hunger is killing most of us, as our perishable goods rot away because nobody comes to buy from us and our welfare is not guaranteed.”
Another who spoke to journalists said “they asked us to move to industrial cluster, we obeyed, but they allowed others to continue trading there.
Okeke while lamenting on the inhumane treatment melted on them by the state said “as I speak to you, there is trading at the demolished Owerri main market, including street trading along the Douglas road. It wasn’t part of our bargain with the government, people prefer to make purchases at the demolished Owerri main market because it is closer to the town than coming to the new site at Naze. Our goods spoil regularly. It costs us great losses because there is no patronage. Where we are staying now is a bit far from town. As long as the government encourages street trading and economic activities at the demolished Owerri main market, we will not be making sales.”
