MOMTA, PHALGA Demolish Illegal Market Structures

The executives of the
Mile One Market Traders Association (MOMTA), in conjunction with the Port Harcourt City Local Government (PHALGA), have demolished all attachments and illegal structures in the new Mile One Market, which were not part of the original plan and design of the ultra-modern edifice.
The Tides visit to the market revealed that all the attachments including those known as batcher shops within the market have been pulled down giving way for a clearer view of the market environment.
The area worst hit by the demolition is the axis where table traders like dry fish sellers, makeup and beads as well as those that trade on petty foodstuff.
It was gathered that those whose shops were gutted by fire last December, who could not relocate to the temporary site at the cultural centre, were the worst hit by this demolition, as they easily made their way to the new market building to set up such attachment to continue their trading.
Reacting to the situation, the chairman of MOMTA, Deacon Kenneth Eze said that the aim of embarking on the demolition exercise was to bring back the beauty of the market structure.
He said that the Rivers State Government had spend so much money in building the market, adding that they on their part would  not watch people in the name of trading, come to deface the beauty of the market.
According to him, the city council officials had made a preliminary marking on those illegal structures to be demolished and had given earlier notice to such affected traders before the actual demolition.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the market union had also set up a committee to monitor how traders display goods in the market, so as to control congestion of the road.
The Tide gathered that the committee has been mandated to seize any goods that are displayed beyond the approved points.

Corlins Walter