…Traders want Gov’t to demolish illegal shanties built on drainages

Uzo Ugwunze

It was a pathetic sight as traders at the Building materials international market, Ogidi, Anambra State were counting losses over the submerging of some cars and shopping plazas around the market by flood.

Goods worth millions of naira including six cars were destroyed during the market flood disaster.

According to them this was not the first time of such experience but the recent heavy rainfall compounded the problem in the market.

Narrating their ordeals,the President-General of the market, Chief Jude Nwankwo(Ochendo Umuawulu) who took journalists on a tour of the market to assess the level of damage described the incident as unfortunate.

However, Nwankwo noted that such disaster could have been averted if some private land developers had not built structures and shanties on the drainage outlet constructed by the market under his watch.

He further called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the Commissioners for works and Housing to probe the allocation of lands to private developers around the market.

Nwankwo further appealed for the State government to carry out a reclamation exercise on the gully erosion site behind the Ogidi building material market which remotely serves as the source of the flood during heavy rain down pour.

“”The man made problem by some members of the market who build on drainage is the major factor of this disaster. I am pleading to the Governor to embark on a demolition exercise of shanties and illegal structures in and around the market as has been carried out in other flood prone areas in the state.

“All attempt made to persuade the developers of these property and land have been met with stiff resistance so I can only appeal to the Government to intervene otherwise the situation may degenerate into a bigger problem as it is.

“I believe that Soludo’s administration is friendly to commerce and traders in Anambra and I am confident that measures will be taken to forestall future occurrence.

” I urge for calm and sympathize with the traders who are members of the market,I am appealing for Government intervention especially in the area if reclaimation of land behind the market being washed away by erosion resulting into a gully which serves as reservoir for the flood,”said Nwankwo

Mrs Amaka Chetalu, a trader at the market lamented that cars and goods running into millions were badly damaged by the flood.”The experience was very bad to the extent it submerged most of the shops,this is the third time but this one was the worst”.

“Goods worth millions and six cars were badly damaged by the flood which lasted for hours,”she said.

Also, Emeka Ossai a plumbing materials dealer pointed out that if nothing is done to address the ugly situation by relevant authorities it could amount to a lack of respect for lives and properties of law abiding taxpayers who expect government to proffer solutions to the economic, health and environmental challenges affecting its citizenry.

“it’s is unfair that despite payment of our tax and levies previous administration has failed to construct drainage in our markets that can mitigate this kind of flood,but we hope the new administration will do better by showing more concern to the plight of traders who contribute a large amount of revenue to government coffers,”said Ossai.