By Ochuko Akuopha, UGHELLI

Traders at the Abraka main market have shut down the market in protest against alleged moves by the Ethiope East local council, Delta State, to demolish, reconstruct and hand its ownership over to a private individual.

One of the traders who identified herself as Onome, said: “Fulani herdsmen have stopped farmers from going to their farms to get what to eat. It is just only the market that we now have.

“We don’t want government to build our market for us. We like it the way it is. If they want to build the market, they should go and look for space and build another market. Abraka is big enough to have two markets.

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“This one can be small market and they can build a larger market in another place.”
Reacting to the protest, the council boss, Mr Victor Ofobrukueta described the action of the traders as civil disobedience, saying: “They are talking from a point of ignorance.”

“We are looking at building a modern market and we want to partner with the private sector to build and give back to them. They don’t want us to talk; they are giving us orders. 

“I have tried to have series of dialogue with them to know what their fears are, but they are saying they don’t want to talk about it, that we should not build the market.

“Our intention is to give them a temporary place where they can be doing their business while we are building, but they are saying ‘no’ to that.”

Vanguard News Nigeria