Sit at home hurting our economy, Ikpeazu tells Ariaria traders
Posted by Ugochukwu Alaribe | 2 years ago | 846 times
Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said that the Monday sit at home order being observed in the South East is hurting the economy of the people of the state.
Ikpeazu who stated this in a meeting with traders of Ariaria International market in Aba, lamented that businesses in the South East are shut every Monday while those in other zone thrive, stressing that traders must understand that they are hurting themselves by shutting the markets.
He assured the traders that his administration would complete the construction of Faulks road and the remodeling of the Ariaria market to make Aba a preferred destination for business.
In his words; “Our traders should try to understand the situation because we have been hurting ourselves by shutting our markets every Monday. We must not hurt ourselves and bring crisis in our land. How do we build our economy if we shut our markets? Setting our brothers’ businesses on fire and causing loss of jobs and rise in crime will not help us. The Igbo must not throw away her strength; we must be united because unity is strength.
“Our opponents are happy that we sit at home, if it is easy for them, they could have created an alternative market where our customers can buy from. Now, every Monday, we close our markets while markets in the other parts of the country are open. Schools are open in other areas. They are happy that we are closing our markets and stopping our children from going to school. Most people are not happy that we rose from the post-civil war twenty pounds to where we are today. They will be happy if we keep shutting our markets because our strength is in commerce.
“Our people are marginalized. Whoever says it did not do anything bad. But If we start crisis in our land, two things will happen. The first thing is that it will expose us to our enemies. The second reason is that it will create division among us. Can we start a conversation that detaining our brother Nnamdi Kanu is not the problem? They asked me if I can meet with him. And I said why can’t I meet with him, is he not a citizen of Abia State? They should grant him fair hearing and not humiliate him.
He decried the deplorable state of federal roads linking Abia with neighbouring states which had made it impossible for people to access the state.
“We are calling on the federal government to help fix the major federal roads in the state to enable better access to our state from other states. We have challenges in the area of access roads to the markets, especially with business people from neighboring states who wish to do business in our State.
“If those from Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa and Rivers are barred from coming to Ariaria because the federal government failed to fix the road to Akwa Ibom, now it takes you four and half hours to Port Harcourt from Aba for a journey of 30 minutes. As I speak, the oil mill market in Port Harcourt has closed; it has affected the economy of our traders who were trading at the market.
“From Umuahia, you can’t go to Ikot Ekpene through Ikwuano. Then, it is like there is a plot to isolate our people who are traders. If you stop people from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States from coming to Ariaria , traders at Ariaria market will be doing nothing.
“Aba –Ikot Ekpene road is not passable, Umuahia – Ikot Ekpene is not passable and Aba –Port Harcourt is not passable. What is happening? Give us one route. This was what led me to rehabilitate the Ekwereazu – Nto Edino road which is now the only good road to Akwa Ibom from Aba. If this road spoils, there will be no access road to Akwa Ibom. I am also doing another alternative from Owoahiafor to link the Nigerian Christian Hospital, Onicha Ngwa on the boundary between Abia and Akwa Ibom states. All I was doing was how to open more access road to Akwa Ibom.
“I’m discussing with Governor Nyesom Wike to see how we can rehabilitate the Aba –Rivers State boundary. I also discussed with the Akwa Ibom State Governor who has done his own part while I also did the Abia side. In 2014, it took me up to 4 hours to get to Akwa Ibom for a journey of 35 to 40 minutes.”
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