RSG Sacks GSM Market …Prosecutes Nine Streets Traders

In line with its policy to check the defacement of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and restore its Garden City status, the Rivers State Government, has ordered the closure of markets operating at strategic locations in the state capital.

A statement from the Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr Tammy Danagogo said the development of the city of Port Harcourt requires adherence to standards in terms of planning, adding that government policy on the restoration of the Garden City will not be compromised.

The commissioner, who spoke through the Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ovie Igho, said that the ministry would implement the urban development policy to the letter, and restated its commitment towards restoring the Garden City from urban defacement.

The Tide investigations reveal that one of the areas affected in the course of government’s move to restore Port Harcourt to its deserving status, is the GSM market within Garrison bus stop.

In recent times, the Garrison market had been incessantly invaded by taskforce operatives from the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, apparently acting on government’s directives.

The traders are however, crying foul that they have not been treated fairly as the task force operatives last Tuesday carted away their wares and physically assaulted some of their members.

A trader in the affected market, Lovelyne Ajuizieogu, who spoke with The Tide, said that the taskforce operatives, armed with hammers, axes and other burglary equipment, arrived the market environment unnoticed with a team of military patrol escort and harassed everyone on sight.

She added that the taskforce operatives confiscated their wares displayed along the road, and also invaded rented shops and removed the traders goods. She said the operations were mostly carried out in a vicious manner under the supervision of military escorts.

Another trader, Mr Victor Izomah, who registers SIMs cards and repairs phones lamented the mode of operations of the taskforce, which he described as barbaric and inhuman.

Izomah, who explained that the GSM market at Garrison has suffered incessant harassment from taskforce operators, said the market had created jobs for the teeming youths in the state.

He pointed out that the traders should be properly briefed by the government, if there was a planned relocation or closing of the market.

Another victim, who simply identified himself as Udeme and deals on glasses, said he was physically assaulted by the taskforce operators, who also went with all his goods.

He said the mood in which the taskforce carried out their operations also provided opportunity for hoodlums who joined to loot the place as a result of the rowdiness of the market environment.

Mr Godspower Amaijan, who repairs GSM phones at the market, also called on the government to put a proper check on the activities of taskforce operators, as some of them operate like outlaws.

Amaijan said , “ genuine taskforce on removal of illegal street trading has no business invading people’s rented shops and removing goods belonging to traders”.

Also affected in the task force operation were vendors, whose newspapers and  books were removed.

A vendor, who spoke with The Tide on the condition of anonymity, said, this is the first time we are facing harassment from taskforce, I have been at this newsstands for over eight years.

When The Tide approached the head of the taskforce team, simply referred to as Boby, by his colleagues, he simply ignored the reporter with impunity.

It would be recalled that recently, some miscreants who disguised as officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development were arrested by law enforcement officers and are presently facing prosecution.

When contacted, the Press Secretary of Port Harcourt City Local Government, Mr Bolingo Elenwo said the task force members were operating on a mandate from the governor to stop the market operating at Garrison. He said the council would do everything possible to ensure that the market operators were evicted permanently.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government says it has arrested and prosecuted nine persons for indulging in street trading within the Port Harcourt metropolis and its environs.

The state Commissioners for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Dr Tammy Danagogo who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, said the arrest was in keeping with the ministry’s commitment in ensuring that the state was rid of illegal street trading to reinforce the present administration’s war against street hawking.

Dr Danagogo, who did not disclose the identity of the arrested persons, however said that the accused persons were arrested along Slaughter market in Trans- Amadi and Sangana Street, Diobu in Port Harcourt respectively by the task force on development control of the ministry.

According to him, the activities of the arrested persons had  led to terrible traffic jam as well as the harassment of motorists along the area, adding that they had since been charged to a court of competent  jurisdiction for prosecution.

The  Commissioner averred that the accused persons were among the group of persons previously arrested by the task force team, adding  that they were properly warned not to indulge in the act again which he said, they did not heed to.

“Incredibly, after they were released on bail, they were unrepentant and promptly returned to their criminal escapades. They were re-arrested and have been detained in police custody”, he added.

Taneh Beemene