Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed to transform the Creek Road Market in old Port Harcourt Township into an ultra-modern facility.
The Governor said the project will provide traders with a conducive environment to thrive and give the city a fresh, new look.
Fubara said his commitment to the project stems from his administration’s Urban Renewal Policy, which prioritises the needs of the people.
By reconstructing the market, he added that he aims to create a wholesome and beneficial space for both traders and the community.
Governor Fubara made the promise when he visited the market on Tuesday to see how trading activities take place within the entire Creek Road and adjoining streets.
He explained that restoring Port Harcourt to its cherished Garden City status will require transforming it into a liveable city that offers a sustainable and equitable urban environment.
That will not be possible, he asserted, if trading activities are not confined to designated places to achieve the desired goal.
Governor Fubara said: “You are aware that some weeks ago, a committee was inaugurated for the redevelopment of Port Harcourt Township.
“Since then, I have been getting a lot of calls from the old boys of Port Harcourt Township that, if we have to do anything, first of all, we need to sort out the issue of the market.”
Governor Fubara recalled that when the Creek Road was reconstructed by the immediate past administration, the traders were relocated to No 3 Field temporarily.
But he added that after the road reconstruction work was completed, no deliberate plan was undertaken to return the traders to their regular trading place, neither was the market rebuilt for them.
The Governor noted, “We are aware that when Creek Road was reconstructed, the market was relocated to No 3 Field, and it affected the face of the Town. So, I came here myself with the Commissioner for Housing, Commissioner for Urban Development and Physical Planning, Chairman of the Committee for the Re-urbanization of Port Harcourt Township, and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), to see for ourselves what we can do immediately.
“I can say here that the first thing we are going to do immediately before we start the cleaning and the redesigning of Port Harcourt Township, is to make sure that we give them (traders) a befitting market.
“With that, we can immediately move those people out of those residential areas so we can commence beautifying the town,” he stressed.
Governor Fubara said he feels so sad that Rivers people, and indeed, residents are made to go through such ugly experiences in the course of achieving development.
He stated that since government is a continuum, his administration will do everything possible to make sure that Creek Road traders are settled in an appropriate and befitting market.