By NewsBits
The Enugu State government has said that the era of sleeping in the New Artisan Cattle Market or any other market in the state is gone. Addressing the leadership of Cattle traders at New Artisan Market on Thursday, the Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) Rt. Hon. Uche Anya said the move became necessary to stem the influx of criminal elements that have been dislodged from the cattle market at Lokpanta cattle market in Abia state.
Hon. Anya added that the decision is also in line with the determination of the administration of Governor Peter Mbah to make the state safe by providing adequate security to all and sundry. The ECTDA Boss maintained that it’s necessary to agree on a time the market must close and a time for it to be opened for daily business, adding that the state government is ready to work with their own security arrangement after vetting them.
“This meeting is in line with the directive of the Governor on the need to secure your market and ensure that nobody comes into your market to start fermenting trouble. Your market will open in the morning and close in the evening just as it’s obtainable anywhere in the world.
“We don’t want anyone sleeping there again, we will provide security and we’re ready to work with your own security, but we must register them after which they will be issued an identification card. We don’t want any of those people to enter New Artisan Market and while at it, we will be at alert to ensure intruders don’t enter the market. We need Artisan market to be safe and clean!”
Dr. Anya while stating that this directive will be replicated in all the markets in the state irrespective of what is sold there, added that all forms of street trading in the state is prohibited. He also added that those trading at the round-about should move inside the market as the area isn’t a marketplace and the taskforce will start implementation of the order very soon.
Responding, the chairman of the market, Danladi Abubakar raised the issue of the peculiarity of livestock market, adding that the current location of the market is a temporal place and those sleeping their have their families. But the ECTDA boss maintained that security takes prominence in this discussion, and nobody will be allowed to live in any place they’ve a market.
In his submission, the vice chairman of New Artisan Market, Alhaji Aminu pleaded with the state government to allow them get back to their people and come up with a time the market can open and close daily. Hon. Anya who reiterated the human face of the government, urged them to take the state as their place and understand the premium the government is placing on security.
