Odili Ogochukwu –
The main reason why both the State Government and Ndokwa West Local Government Council have not commissioned the newly constructed Eke Modern Market, Kwale has been revealed.
The stores have not been released to the real users despite outcries of traders and market women that risked their lives trading along roadside under the sun and rain.
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Africa Investigative Magazine gathered that the project for construction of Eke Market Square was initiated by Hon. Felix Owete who was the council chairman between 2008 to 2011 before Barr. Egri Okwaji took over from him via Transition Committee Chairmen (Care-taker Committee) under the administration Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, immediate past governor of Delta State.
It was further gathered gathered that during the reign of Okwaji, money were collected from individuals suspected to be traders with a view to occupying the stores after completion.
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The market project was on a standstill until the intervention of state government led by Gov Ifeanyi Okowa who completed the project and handed it over to the immediate past chairman, Hon. Ifeanyi Osakwe who could not commission it for reasons best known to him.
It was verified that the frantic effort made to officially inaugurate the market as Chief Goddey Obi-Nzete came into power was not successful as those who initially paid for them during the tenure of Barr. Okwaji were not captured in the list of store owners
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Investigations proved that each politically connected individuals were allegedly to get more than five stores, while the traders/market women who paid for the stores were to get none.
The council, however, directed the House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Bartholomew Ineh Ozah and House Committee Chairperson, Mrs. Kate Okoh Onah for further investigations.
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Speaking to Africa Investigative Magazine in Kwale, the Leader of Ndokwa West Legislative Arm, Rt Hon Ndubisi Okoloafor appealed to the general public, especially traders and prospective users of ‘Open and Lock-up Stores’ to be patient as respective authorities are doing everything possible to achieve the purpose.
Ndubisi Okoloafor stated that the council under the leadership of Chief Goddey Obi-Nzete would not commission the market in error, noting that the stores would get to their rightful owners.
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He attributed the delay in handling the market to the traders to political forces who wanted to hijack them for self-benefit.
He assured the traders that the market would be commissioned before April and that all those who paid for stores would get it.
