Mrs. Joan Mrakpor, Director General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency
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▪ To commence clampdown on illegal structures
In its avowed commitment to bring sanity and orderliness to the environment in Delta state, the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency has closed down midwifery market over traders’ persistent obstruction of traffic on the midwifery road in Asaba, Delta state.
Speaking to newsmen after enforcing the closure of the market on Tuesday 14th January, the Director General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Mrs. Joan Mrakpor, said the closure was the last resort by the government following blatant refusal of the traders to stay within demarcated area or move into spaces allocated for them inside the market.
She noted that the indiscriminate display of wares by the traders on the road has put commuters and other road users under unnecessary pressure and punishment during rush hour.
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Mrakpor said the market will remain closed for seven days until the traders show willingness to comply with government’s relocation order.
She explained that the government and the owner of the market have provided a space free of charge for the hawkers inside the market but they have refused to move into the space, stressing that government will not condone the irresponsibility of such traders.
“We want traders in this market to be responsible, but the more we try, the more it gets very bad. And people here tend to behave like people in animal farm. People will close from work, they cannot go home.”
“We have put demarcations and we have tried to remove some structures but the shop owners are collaborating with hawkers to block the road. Government made provision for the hawkers inside the market.”
“So, the problem is not that they don’t have a place, the problem is that they just decided to be continually irresponsible. And we cannot continue as a government to tolerate this. So this market has been shut for the next seven days until the traders decide to behave normal”, Mrakpor insisted.
The Dune can report authoritatively that the Agency will also clampdown on illegal structures within the city centres following the expiration of the 21 days grace period given to owners of such properties to remove them.
The agency in a notice published in December 2019 gave property owners in the state capital January 10, 2020 deadline to remove illegal structures attached to their approved building, and encouraged owners of business premises to repaint defaced walls and desilt drains around their shops.
“The notice is to enable all landlords, occupiers and business owners remove any illegal structure attached to their respective approved building plans.”
“Furthermore, buildings and fences with defaced paintings should be repainted while untidy environment with overgrown weeds or untidy drains within or around their surroundings should be evacuated and kept clean within the grace period”, the notice read.
