New Layout Traders Fault Stalls Allocation Process

Traders at the New Layout Market in the township axis of Port Harcourt have decried what they described as improper allocation of shops in the market by the committee assigned with the responsibility.

They have decried the manner in which the committee has allocated the shops, which they claimed did not favour some of the traders that have been in the market since the administration of the first governor of the old Rivers State.

Some of the traders who spoke to journalists in Port Harcourt accused the allocation committee of hijacking some of the shops, and giving them to their relatives and other acquaintances.

A trader at the market, Mrs Janneth Amatah told journalists that she presented all her documents and papers for her shop to the committee, but was surprised that her name was missing from the allocation list.

She said that instead of Amatah Janneth, all she saw in the allocation list was Amah, adding that there are other discrepancies in the list that cannot make her claim ownership to any particular shop.

On her part, Madam Joy Ekine expressed dissatisfaction with the entire allocation exercise, saying that she could no longer see her name among the stalls allotees, for which she got since the administration of the first governor of old Rivers State, and called on the committee to revisit what they have done.

However, efforts made to speak with members of the committee was not successful.

Corlins Walter