Traders in garki international market were in a happy mood on Wednesday afternoon as officials of the FCT Administration reopened the market which was shut six day ago over poor sanitation.
The officials led by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah arrived the market for reopening around 3.30pm, and after a painstaking inspection of its sanitary condition, certified it okay for reopening.
Speaking to newsmen during the exercise, Attah expressed satisfaction with the management and traders of the market for swinging into action to ensure the restoration of the sanity of the market.
Attah however warned the traders that the administration will not hesitate to seal up the market again if the management and traders fail to maintain the standard of environmental cleanliness demonstrated today.
“Garki international market has been sealed for five days by the galant team of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) who actually got a court verdict to the market, occasioned by the extreme and provocative nature of dirt in the markets, at that as said earlier yesterday enjoyed the blessings of the Minister, Makam Muhammad Musa Bello who commended Engineer and his team for doing a wonderful job in ensuring that the market is sealed, cleaned so that those who trade here are safely.
“When we came in here yesterday we discovered that the work done was not very impressive and the director of AEPB went back with his team, held a high powered meeting with Market Management Limited (MML), and the team of the market association, they yesterday and this morning, work resumed at optimal capacity, what we are seeing now is very encouraging, and that is the reason why the Minister of FCT, Malami Muhammad Musa Bello, has given his approval and directed that the Garki international market be reopened immediately for commencement of trading actives.
“The Minister, however, issued his warning and I have told the director, should the market degenerate again, we will have to lock this time and get a longer period because the Minister’s intention is to get the market safe, for both traders and safe as well for all users of the market, and we imploy MML, traders association and the traders, to please keep the market clean and make profit and enrich the Nigerian economy.”
Speaking also, the Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Braimah Osilama warned management of markets across the FCT to ensure their premises are always in clean condition to avoid facing similar unpleasant action.
“The market now is in fit and proper condition for business, so following the directive of the Minister, we have reopened the market, I also warn that we will continue to monitor the market as we do, all markets in the FCT, all plazas, all schools, to make sure that they are safe for residents and all who come to do business, so the market is now opened, and is maintained just like the SSA said in the condition that is in now.”
The market traders who were visibly excited with the development also expressed their appreciation to the FCTA for the reopening of the market.
According to the Manager, Garki international market, Tolani Orfulue:
“Yesterday, after the meeting with the Director, he gave me conditions for the market to be reopened, and you can see we have the conditions. There is substancial compliance, so are happy the market is reopening and we promise to keep the market clean for business, our traders and our shoppers too.”
In the same vein, the Chairman, Traders taskforce Osinachi Chris added that:
“As you can see, before now I was jubilating because it is a very big challenge that came up on us and I want to say a very big thank you to AEPB, the honourable Minister himself that made all this possible.
“Yesterday, after supervision and we get the recommendation on what we were going to do for the market to be reopened, we joined hands with the management and began work from 6am, and thank God AEPB and Minister’s team is here and they appreciate our efforts. We send our greetings to the minister.”
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