The popular Kenyatta Building Materials Market in Uwani Enugu was demolished on Thursday by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) on the orders of the State Government.
When FirstNews reporters visited the scene by 11.00 am traders were seen in confused state trying to rescue their properties. The State Government has earlier directed the traders to move to the permanent site of Building Materials International Market Ugwuaji along the Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway area of the State since three years ago. Some of the traders complied to the directive but others were not able to comply due to some circumstances.
Our reporter saw two massive bulldozers demolishing the structures even as merchants struggled to get their goods out of the stores. Wares were seen scattered everywhere and truck drivers and loaders had a field day trying to evacuate wares. However, those who could not rent trucks right away resorted to temporarily leaving their produce along side roads and streets around the market.
Some of the traders who were interviewed said they were caught off guard by the government. Mike Okonkwo had two shops that were demolished in the market. He told FirstNews that although they were told that the market would be demolished, they were not told the date of the demolition.
According to him, “They told us they would come since last two years and we were waiting for them to give us the exact time, and all of a sudden they came today and started demolishing our shops.
The president of Kenyatta Market Traders Association, Mr. Chinweuba Igwesi, told reporters that the government duly notified the traders about the demolition.
Security operatives made up of members of the Police and Forest Guard were at hand to maintain peace. The affected traders who are leaking their wounds said that they were willing to go to the Ugwuaji Building Materials International Market but lamented that the cost of the shops there were too high. A According to one of the traders who spoke on anonymity shops there can go for up to ten to eighteen million. He therefore questioned where he will get money to pay for shops there.
Efforts to reach Joseph Onoh, the helmsman of ECTA was abortive as he could not be reached on phone.
