Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo has assured traders who lost their shops in the demolished Eke-ukwu Main Market on Douglas Road, Owerri, priority during the allocation of stalls.

The Commissioner for Commerce in Imo, Simon Ibegbulem, disclosed this in Owerri on Sunday when he led a team of journalists to inspect the project.

“There are at least 200 Owerri natives, who lost their shops in the old market. Such people and other original shop owners would be given price concessions.

“For instance, if a shop would go for N2 million or N3 million, they may be asked to pay less as a way to compensate them for the loss they suffered,” Mr Ibegbulem said.

He said that the project, which was over 40 per cent completed, would be rounded up and inaugurated by December 2022.

The commissioner said that the market, located at the heart of Owerri metropolis, was pulled down by former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration.

He said the market had 2,925 lock-up stalls and would have modern facilities, including a bank, police post, and fire service, among others, when completed.

He said that on completion, the state government would collaborate with the market association to ensure that traders who lost their shops in the demolished market were given priority during the allocation of stalls.

In his remarks, Declan Emelumba, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, explained that the governor decided to rebuild the facility because it remained the only Owerri ancestral market.

He further said that the project was being executed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The facility is equipped with more than 500 modern machines for sewing and designing and solar panels for a 24-hour electricity supply.

(NAN)