Ikoku motor parts dealers at Mile 2 Diobu, Port Harcourt have lamented over the huge business losses incurred as a result of the recent temporary closure of the place by the Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority (RSESA) due to poor sanitary condition of the area.  

The market which was shutdown on December 29,2009 was reopened for business on Monday January 11, 2010 (barely 14 days).

Speaking to one of The Tide’s sources a motor parts dealer at Ikoku said the imposition of sanitation exercise on the traders within the two weeks period is a welcome development that has changed the face of the area positively.

He thanked RSESA for their courage to intervene into the poor sanitary condition of the area lately, shifting the blame of the traders woes on the scrap dealers who would litter disused motor parts on the major Olu-Obasanjo Road and drainages thereby causing serious traffic hold up on daily basis, also blocking the free flow of drainages to Ntawogba River.

He regretted that this singular act has caused the entire traders loss of huge sum of money as they could not operate their businesses for two weeks.

Also, Mr Agbaso Wagbara who alleged that the state government has imposed a levy of N1 million monthly on the dealers as sanitation fee and compulsory sanitation exercise in the area every Thursday of the week, urged the state government to review the alleged N1 million levy saying that the possibility raising such amount may not be visible due to lack of a leadership body in the market.

He cautioned that the issue should be handled with care so as not to allow some groups of persons use the avenue to dupe others.

Motorists who ply Olu-Obasanjo Road as well as those who patronise the spare parts market expressed their displeasure over the closure of  the road and the market by RSESA saying that at this time of fuel scarcity a journey they were supposed to make in 100r 15 minutes intervals now took them hours because they divert to Okija street before heading to Waterlines or the Garrison Junction loading points. They respectively said that the opening of the road has reduced the burden imposed on their transport business in that route.

They commended RSESA for clearing the scraps and disused motor parts obstructing the flow of traffic along the road as well as improving the overall sanitary condition of the place. 

Commenting on the issue, Press Secretary to the chairman  of Rivers State Environmental Sanitation Authority Executive chairman, Mr Olanikan Ige said that the resolve to shutdown Ikoku spare parts market was muted out of poor sanitary condition that besieged the area lately, stressing that scraps and disused vehicles were seen disrupting free flow of traffic along Olu-Obasanjo Road, also blocking the drain lives which led to regular flooding of the area.

He debunked the rumour that RSESA imposed a monthly N1 million sanitation level on the traders, saying that meetings and negotiations are ongoing between RSESA and the traders to fashion out the way forward and the basic amount to be paid as sanitation level. “You know that waste generation attracts payment” he added.

He explained that the temporary shutdown of the market was to enable government and the traders chart a course toward sanitising the area.

The press secretary lamented over the situation where the traders make huge sums of money without contributing a dine to the improvement of the business environment where they make the money, pointing out that no responsible government will allow that.  He confirmed that government has declared every Thursday of the week as sanitation day in public places like markets, parks, etc, noting that this is to ensure that business place are kept clean always.

Meanwhile, the Ikoku market has been opened temporarily while dialoguing and negotiations continues, he asserted.