The Anambra State government has begun the demolition of all the illegal structures and shop extensions erected on the tarred roads along Bright Street and White House axis inside Onitsha Main Market, the State’s major commercial city.
They were removed on Sunday 17th July, 2022, the only day businesses are not conducted in the city.
The leader of the demolition Task Force and Provost of the market Mr Felix Umerah said that the exercise was carried out in compliance with the directives of Anambra State Governor Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo.
Umerah, also a trader in Main Market disclosed that the governor had ordered all market executives in the State to decongest every entrance roads into their various markets to make way for free flow of human and vehicular movements.
“We are removing all the shop attachments and projections that block roads causing obstruction to movements to and fro this market, and reduce our level of sales and patronage from our customers.”
Speaking to the government officials from Ministry of Commerce and Industry that visited the site, the Secretary of the market Mr. Obijekwu Barth Ifediora complained that some traders abandoned their shops to display their wares on the tarred roads, making movements along the roads almost impossible.
“We mobilized a joint taskforce with some security apparatus to rid the market roads of all obstructions, and to send these traders and huckters back into their respective shops.
“As you can see, two vehicles can now overtake each here, there will be normal and peaceful movements of humans and vehicles in these roads again. This is how roads ought to be.”
Another member of the decongestion committee Hon Victor Adizi thanked Governor Soludo, and the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Dr. Obinna Ngonadi for the good works they are doing in the State.
He said that the governor’s directive being enforced will create a conducive environment for business to thrive in Main Market.
Ngonadi called on the State government to give them a written authority to also clear Bida and Sokoto roads where some locals protest over jurisdiction of territory.