The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has stated that the mobile courts for the Task Force on Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks would become operational, today.
Addressing operatives of the Task Force on Street Trading, Illegal Markets and Motor Parks at the Government House, Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said that the Magistrates would be deployed to the various locations, today.
The governor said: “From tomorrow (today), Magistrates will sit at the various locations to prosecute offenders of the law banning street trading.
“Your business is to arrest the offenders in line with the law and take them to the magistrates for trial. Anyone that is guilty will be sanctioned by the Magistrates”.
He warned the operatives of the task force against taking laws into their hands, stressing that the state government would not tolerate them manhandling any offender.
Wike said that the ultimate goal of the exercise was to ensure that there were no street traders in Port Harcourt and that illegal motor parks were closed.
“We don’t want to see any street traders anywhere in Port Harcourt. Your duty is to ensure that the streets are clean.
“Those selling corn and other items on the roads should also leave. If you want to be a trader, kindly move into the markets”, he advised.
He noted that a committee has been established to monitor the activities of the task force, and warned that where there are infractions, the operatives would be sanctioned.
The governor warned the operatives against harassing people for money, warning that any operative indicted for seeking bribe would be sacked.
He regretted that some operatives don’t go to their duty posts, and explained that modalities have been put in place to fish out such truant operatives.
The governor charged the operatives to shun acts that would attract negative publicity to the task force, stressing that all eyes were on them, hence they must remain focused on their legal responsibilities.
He said that he called the emergency meeting basically to appreciate the operatives for their excellent performance, and charged them to perform better.
Wike assured that additional 450 personnel would be employed, while more vehicles would be handed over to the task force.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has restated its commitment to provide an enabling environment that would promote business activities, just as it urged traders to be brand ambassadors by portraying the state in positive light in all their dealings.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, who led a team of directors of the ministry, stated this during an advocacy visit to the leadership of the Rivers State Traders Association in Port Harcourt.
He said traders as key stakeholders were better disposed to contribute to the development of the state by promoting the ideals and values of the state, noting that the Rivers State was peaceful and safe for investments.
Nsirim stated that traders have critical role to play in the development agenda of the current administration, noting that the construction of the Fruit Garden, Mile One phase one and two markets as well as the Rumuokoro ultra-modern markets were eloquent testimonies of the government’s resolve to ensure that businesses thrive.
He further said that the compensation to traders of the fire incident at the Fruit Garden Market was a demonstration that Governor Nyesom Wike attaches premium to the welfare of traders and business owners in the state.
“We want everybody leaving and doing business in Rivers State to know that the state belongs to us, and that when the state is prospering, our businesses will prosper.
“The truth of the matter is that there are people who are making our state not look like what God has created it to be. They will go to the media; they will go outside the state, and say all sorts of bad things about Rivers State.
“These will make people to run away from the state and making people not to come and do business here. But as you know, the person who is selling Garri in the market will make more profit if more people are leaving and doing business in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.
“So, we have introduced a campaign that we have tagged ‘Our State, Our Responsibility’,” Nsirim explained, just as he solicited the support of the traders to support the policies and programmes of the government.
He also urged them to collaborate with the state government, especially in the on-going enforcement exercise of illegal street trading, illegal markets and motor parks in the state, pointing out that henceforth, anyone caught flouting government directive would be prosecuted.
Nsirim also urged the traders to support the government in the fight against crime by reporting criminal elements to security agencies.
Responding, the President General, Rivers State Traders Association, Comrade Victor Bekwele, commended Governor Nyesom Wike for his infrastructural and human capital development across the state.
Bekwele specifically lauded the governor for the construction of world-class markets for traders in the state; even as he thanked the Information and Communications Ministry for promoting peace and development of the state through its advocacy campaign.
He pledged the support and loyalty of the traders to the WIke-led government, and expressed happiness that it was the first time the association was receiving officials of government in its secretariat.
According to Bekwele, “We thank God for this visit and for the campaign. It is our state and it is our responsibility. Let nobody represent us in disguise. This is the first time we are receiving government officials in our secretariat.
“We are very happy and I must tell you that by this visit, our one year in office is successful. The traders in Rivers State are happy with Governor Wike, and we are ready to work with him anywhere, anytime,” he said, stating that the association was against street trading, hence it would support the task force set up to rid the streets of illegal traders and illegal motor parks to succeed.
Also, some residents of Port Harcourt City have expressed delight at the clean state of Port Harcourt, just one week into the operation of the task force on street trading.
Some of the residents, who spoke to our correspondent, rated the impact made so far very high, and commended the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for the initiative.
A resident of Ojoto Street in Mile111 Diobu, Chief Noah Joseph, said he was surprised at the high success recorded by the task force within a short period of its existence.
“I am quite happy, and I want to commend Governor Nyesom Wike. I want to commend the chairman and members of the task force on street trading for making us proud.
“I sincerely believe in clean Port Harcourt, but you see with the lack of political will by past administrations that tried it and failed, I doubted the success of the exercise.
“But two days into the exercise, I returned from the village where I travelled to, behold, it was a new city, I saw. I pray that the task force sustains the success and possibly improve on it”, he said.
Another respondent, Pastor Emmanuel Uwa, rated the task force high in its effort, and urged them not to relent.
“Governor Nyesom Wike has again shown that with determination, any government can achieve whatever good thing it desires for the people.
“Kudos to the governor, kudos to the task force members and kudos to the residents of Port Harcourt City for their cooperation, which made it possible for the initiative to record such a wonderful feat in such a short period”.
Speaking in similar vein, a trader at the Mile 1 Market, Chinonso Ekwunife, said the initiative has transformed Port Harcourt back to a clean city.
“I am very happy that all the cluster of dirt, illegal parks that used to be everywhere, especially along lkwerre Road are no more.
She stated that at the initial period, there was doubt that operators of the task force would be influenced by bribe, but rather than that, they displayed strong commitment, and urged them to continue in such a spirit.
Another respondent, Godknows Uche, said he could not believe that such areas as Rumuokoro, Mile 111 Park vicinity, Waterlines could be so clean and with no traffic obstructions.
“I sincerely thank the governor for the good result. It means that the decade long slogan of restoring Port Harcourt to back to its Garden City status could become a reality.
“What is important is to sustain the success so far recorded because those who benefit from the illegalities may not be resting. Continue to pursue the initiative without compromise”, he added.

Taneh Beemene, Dennis Naku, Chris Oluoh