Gov To Talk With Traders Over Street Trading

As part of moves to clean up Port Harcourt, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, says he would hold a meeting with traders at the Creek Road Market and other markets in Port Harcourt to stop them from trading on the roads.

Governor Amaechi said this yesterday at an Interdenominational Church Service, marking the 2011 Children’s Day celebration in the state, at St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt.

The Governor hinted that the meeting with Creek Road traders would afford him the opportunity to know why the traders prefer to sell their wares on the road rather than enter the main market, pointing out that Creek Road is a dualised road, but traders had blocked one lane with trading.

He explained that the interactive meeting with the stakeholders in the market would be part of the process to clean up Port Harcourt and restore the glorious past of the city as Nigeria’s “Garden City”.

“I will clean up the city of Port Harcourt, the city is very dirty and there is need to make a change in the system”, he said, adding, “traders of the Creek Road Market should undertake their business within the confines of the market and leave the road”.

In the same vein, the  governor said other areas in Port Harcourt and its environs such as the Flyover Park, would be affected by the exercise, adding that the area constitutes an eye sore, as refuse was disposed there indiscriminately.

The State Chief Executive, remarked that any society which plans to change must purge itself of abnormal practices, arguing that non-payment of taxes was responsible for Nigerians not being able to hold government accountable, emphasising that, “if you pay your tax and the government fails to utilise the funds to provide social services, you will ask questions as a matter of right”.

In the area of electricity, the governor said, “we have assured the Federal Government that if given the right to distribute power within the state, we shall ensure 24hours power supply, noting that a committee inaugurated by government had commenced work on the process.

He used the opportunity to thank Rivers people for casting their votes for his return to office, promising not to let them down, and urged them to attend the inauguration celebration scheduled for May 29, at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia.

Earlier in a sermon at the church service, the Vicar in-charge of St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, Venerable Amavey Abbey-Kalio, commended Governor Amaechi for the priority given to the education sector as it would produce a multiplier effect in building the future manpower base of the state.

Ven. Abbey-Kalio who spoke on the theme of this year’s celebration, “Good Governance: The Impact on Children”, said children should fear God and obey those in authority, adding that those in government must lead with the fear of God and uphold the rule of law, transparency, equity and justice at all times .

In another development, Governor Chibuike Amaechi, represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the wedding ceremony between former Miss Rita Benjamin and Mr. Erefagha Turner, son of HRH King Amalatei Turner, the Chairman of Federal Inland Waterways Authority at St Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt.