A group under the auspices of Ikwerre Traders Association (IKETA) has declared support for the decision of the Rivers State Governor, Barr Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, to allocate shops in the newly commissioned Phase 11 of the Rumuworji market through the ballots system.
President General of the group, Deacon Kenneth Eze, gave the hints while addressing newsmen shortly after a congress meeting of the body in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He said the ballots system was the best option of allocating the shops, to avoid lobbying, favouritism and allocating of the shops to the highest bidders.
While acknowledging the fact that the displaced original shop owners outnumbered  the available shops, he said the accredited and confirmed original shop owners should participate in the balloting process in a transparent and fair contest.
He cautioned against the antics of some persons hiding under the guise of a “ non existent “ shop owners association to make demands over the newly commissioned facilities.
The President General called on the governor to set up an allocation committee, comprising of men and women of proven integrity to handle the allocation process to enable the benefiting traders resume their businesses and render services to the people, especially as the festive period draws closer.
The body also thanked Governor Wike for renaming the Mile One market to Rumuworji market, and Fruit Garden market to Ogbum-nu-Abali Fruit Garden market, noting that the gesture gives a sense of belonging to land owners.
The body also lauded the governor over his pronouncement to financially empower some women of Rumuworji community to enable them engage in trading, and appealed to the governor to extend the gesture to women in other rural communities across the state to promote enterprise development.

Taneh Beemene