My people, wetin dey happen for Anambra wey fit shock you. Governor Chukwuma Soludo don yan say time don reach to change the Onitsha Main Market—we dey talk say dem go remodel am like say na new born pikin. This decision no be joke o, e fit pain some traders, but e dey necessary to make our economy shine again.
As market don close for one week now, Soludo wey visit the market last week come dey lament say the biggest market for West Africa don turn ghost town. E talk say the place don dey ‘literally dead’ since sit-at-home order don dey chop the market money since almost 260 days. Na wa o, billions of naira don waka meet other markets for obodo eh.
Soludo come talk say, “This market no dey functional again. We don do the study, and we see say the market don lose im glory. Back in the 70s, trucks dey enter freely and people dey enjoy how e dey flow. But now, na wahala and chaos everywhere!”
Meanwhile, e don call world-revered experts to help draft how dem go take bring the market back to life. The plan go cover 25 hectares, sharp sharp, because e don clear say the future of business no be to just dey sell from small stalls.
Chijioke Okpalaugo, the market chairman, come talk say traders don align with Soludo’s plan. Dem don choose ‘Option 2’ as the best way forward and dey ready to work with the government to make market dey compete globally again. But dem dey request short time to carry dem wares comot from the place wey dem don tag illegal structures.
E get as e be, PUNCH Online report say Soludo no go play with the closure matter. If traders continue to lock dem stalls, dem fit close the market longer. Na the latest move wey show say dey struggle for economic control for South-East dey hot as ever.
Traders no suppose dey lose hope, because if Soludo follow through with im plan, e fit turn Onitsha Main Market into something wey go blow our minds! E go make sense if the place fit dey as lively as before and everybody fit chop their small small.
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