Umuahia Market Electrification Gulps N27.8m

A total of N27.8 million has been paid to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) by the Abia State Government to connect electricity to the new Umuahia Industrial Market.

The Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Deputy Governor, Chief Charles Ogbonna, said this while addressing traders at the permanent site of the market, located on the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road.

He also said that government had paid N21.5 million as compensation to the land owners, adding that there were ‘’no encumbrances to the realisation of the project.’’

Ogbonna, who is the chairman of the market relocation committee, announced that November 15, had been fixed as deadline for the relocation of the market from the town to the permanent site.

Our correspondent reports that the new market, which is nearing completion, is located at Azueke-Ndume-Ibeku in Umuahia North Local Government area.

The forum was attended by a large number of the traders, community leaders as well as representatives of some banks.

Ogbonna who described the deadline as “non-negotiable”, stressed that the old site would be demolished afterwards, adding that all the necessary facilities required for the commencement of the new market, including a police post, fire service and electricity are already in place.’’

He also said that six boreholes, a park, as well as internal road had been constructed in the market while the construction of 10 warehouses and 200 units of 3-bedroom flats would soon start at the market.

Ogbonna said that the state had concluded plans to expand the ever-busy road up to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, pointing out that the price of shops ranged from N500,000 to N1.5 million, just as payment would spread to a five-year period.