Abraka Traders Protest Over Moves To Demolish Main Market

By Our Reporters

Traders in Abraka main market in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, on Thursday, 29th December, 2021, protested over plans by the council authority to demolish the market.

All trading activities were grounded as they carried placards and condemned moves to demolish the market.

One of the aggrieved traders who spoke to Oasis Magazine under conditions of anonymity said some months ago, they received information that the Abraka market will be demolished.

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“So we were waiting to see what was actually going to happen. So, two weeks ago, we were informed that the Chairman of our local government was coming and all the traders should assemble at the king’s palace. When we got there, we spoke extensively about the issue.

“The chairman said that the government does not have money to build the market. He said it will be a contract. We were showed some papers on how the market will be built. Infact, I have not been able to pay the money I borrowed last year to build my small store that barely can contain two tables. I paid 150,000 thousand naira last year. Some even paid three thousand naira. Now, they are saying they want to demolish the market again and each person will pay three million naira to purchase one store or will otherwise pay 130,000 on installments yearly. This installment payment will take the span of 20 years. For this reason we have told them we like the market like this and that they should not build it,” the trader said.

Adding: “Some people owe debts in this market and some have died as a result of last year’s demolition of the market. We are rioting today because the chairman has said he will destroy the market by night.”

According to our source, a contractor was to be awarded the project, saying that they were bankers.

Also, one of the leaders speaking about the protest, said: “Women in this market are suffering; some are widows. We spent about N450, 000 to construct burglaries after last year’s demolition. Now, they have come again to say they want to demolish the market. We have told the chairman, Victor Oforbrukueta to let the market be since there is currently to money at the local government to build the market. Those at the local government stand to benefit from this demolition.”

Speaking further, she said: “I have a farm but the herdsmen have refused to allow us go to farm.”

On his part, one Christopher, a cleric, said: “I have discovered a lot of things and a lot of women have been passing through pains and a lot of challenges among them. I also discovered that most of the women selling in this market can no longer go to farm because of what has been happening. Since we came to this market, a lot of things have been happening. You cannot just expect as a man created by God just come to somewhere to tell the people to move out without a proper thing that you’ve done on the ground. This thing has been going on for some weeks now. I moved with them to the palace and one chairman came yesterday and was speaking.

“So today I was at home and got information that the market women are doing a protest so I decided to come because I choose to stand by them because they are my mothers. With what I am seeing now, it’s unfair. I call this an illegal action because with what they are doing now, they are putting these people in pain. You don’t know their challenges or what they are facing. Many of them are on debts; they borrowed money from LAPO. Even the money they paid to rent a store last 2years some have not even recovered it. You cannot just expect the women who have been taking care of their families and are passing through some difficult things in life to just leave their businesses. What I am saying is that the government should grant the women their heart desires. There are so many markets they can rebuild. They even told them to go to Urhuoka to build a market there or even Eku. So why are they insisting on this one? Why are they saying that it must be this one?

Attempts to speak with the council chairman proved abortive at the time of filing this report.