Traders at Watt Market in Calabar, have expressed concern
over the heaps of refuse in the market.

The traders, who spoke with newsmen in an interviews in
Calabar, said that they were worried about the development.

According to them, the refuse is posing serious health
threat to traders and other residents and can lead to possible outbreak of
diseases in the market.

One of the traders, Mr Ejike Ugorji, said that the
non-evacuation of the refuse was giving the traders sleepless nights.

“It is a problem, particularly to some of us who are trading
very close to the refuse bin,” he said.

He said that the traders were afraid of contracting any
deadly disease through the refuse, and appealed for the immediate evacuation of
the refuse to avoid the outbreak of disease in the market.

“I am appealing to the authorities to please help us clear
the refuse so that we will not contract disease,” he said.

Mrs Grace Johnson, a petty trader who hawks wares very close
to the refuse bin, said that the refuse was not only a hindrance to her
business but also a health hazard.

“Honestly, we are dying here; for several weeks now, they
have not come to clear the refuse while people are still dumping refuse every
day,” she said.