Relocation To Affect 5,000 Auto Spare Dealers In Rivers

Not fewer than 5,000 motorspare dealers may be affected by the plans to relocate the Ikoku Auto Market at Mile 2 to a new site.
This follows a quit notice served on them as new investors plan to develop the area spanning the stretch from Ikwerre Road down to Access bank and down to Gambia Street area.
The auto market which over the years has become a traffic menace to Olu Obasanjo has grown into multi- million motorspare corridor for over 40 years.
Attempt to relocate the market had been mulled by the Amaechi administration but just last two weeks, the state government announced its final resolve to move the market to a site now under development along Aba/Port Harcourt Expressway.
The Chief Wike administration had during his 100 days in office inaugurated the new site which is being constructed under Build Operate and Maintain (BOM) agreement with some private partners.
The new development has put the traders under pressure, according to the President of Port Harcourt Motor Spare Dealers, Chief Anthony Alarigbole.
“We have written to the governor begging for sufficient time”, he told The Tide in a telephone chat yesterday.
“ What we are pleading is that the investors should have a human face considering the number of people the relocation will affect,” Chief Alarigbole stated.
Going by the quit notice which gives them by month end to leave the area, the President of the Motor Spare Part Dealers said they can’t stop the landlords from selling their properties, “ but we are talking of the number of people that will be displaced and security threat it will pose if the situation is not well managed.”
Also pleading for more time for the traders, Zonal Chairman of Motor Spare Parts Dealers for No.8 and 10, Festus Onyenwe said not fewer than 5,000 consisting of mainly shop owners, squatters, and mechanics will be economically affected.