Insanitary Condition Of D-Line Fruits Market Worries Traders

Irked by the poor sanitary condition of the popular fruits
and vegetables markets in D/line area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, traders
have cried out to the appropriate government agency to take action to reverse
the ugly development.

Speaking to our correspondent recently some of the traders
who simply choose to speak under anonymity said the market was due for
rehabilitation and a new  one built.

According to Edna (not real name) who claimed to have been
selling assorted types of fruits ranging from oranges, mangoes, banana for the
past 20 years, the market needs to be demolished and a new one constructed in
order to restore the sanitary condition of the market.

Another trader who gave her name  as Judith said the management of the market
has over the years tried their best to convince the state and local governments
authorities of the need to upgrade  the
market as according to her the present structures has outlived their
usefulness.

She said until something was done to restore the market to
its past glory, the respect accorded it as the only fruits and vegetables
market in the whole of the Niger Delta that services other nearby places would
be made meaningless.

For Mrs. Helen Joseph who buys wholesale and comes all the
way  from Mbiama in the Ahoada West axis
of the state, the market was due for relocation as she was of the view that the
space could no longer accommodate the ever busy fruits market.

She said the market authorities should start a campaign of
relocation instead of reconstructing at the same location, “maybe at the
outskirts of Port Harcourt town to enable the market be larger than what it is
today”, adding that relocation would enable the market expand.

A regular customer to the market, Madam  Helen who sympathised with the traders on the
poor sanitary condition observed that visitors
also suffered in no small measure.

According to her  when
she arrives for shopping, she  leaves her
driver behind after which they drive away, but when the sanitary situation
worsened, she used to send her driver and maid to do the shopping for her
especially during the raining season, and called on the appropriate authority
to take action.

Efforts to speak with the market union chairman as at the
time of filing this report was not successful as he was said to have gone on
official trip outside the state.

However a source at the market which is  close to the market executive and needed not
to be named said the relevant  government
agencies were being paid  and expressed
surprise that they could not come to the rescure of the  market
having gained from its existence for so many years.