By Perpetua Onuegbu
Mr Chijioke Edeoga, Labour Party candidate in the 2023 governorship elections in Enugu State, has urged Gov. Peter Mbah to compensate the victims of demolition executed by his government in June.
Edeoga made this call at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
The text of the conference was entitled: ‘Justice for Ogige-Nsukka Market Traders, Ifeainach Transport Ltd, and Other Victims of Demolition of Markets and Other Means of Livelihood Executed by the Government of Enugu State’.
He recalled that in June agents of the government of Enugu State supervised the simultaneous demolitions of markets and built-up places in many parts of the state.
“Large settlements on Okpara Avenue, where we have iconic buildings, banks, schools, SMEs, an orphanage run by the Red Cross, transport terminals, etc., were all crushed.
“These destructions were executed in other centres of commerce and human habitation in Enugu metropolis, including; Gariki, Abakpa, and then Ogige market in Nsukka Local Government Area.
“The devastations attracted widespread condemnation and even outright demonstrations and marches by aggrieved people in parts of the state.
“The state government countered the points raised against its action arguing that destruction must necessarily precede development; that the state government acted to restore the state’s master-plan’’, he said.
He said the government also claimed that compensations have been paid to the affected persons; that the state government had provided an alternative location for the displaced traders of Ogige market.
Edeoga faulted government’s claims saying that traders still hawked their goods around the destroyed markes.
He said that there was indication that the Ogige-Nsukka market space which was a communal market housing more than 1000 shops and serving 100,000 persons was to be replaced by a filling station.
He said it was unfortunate that people’s business premises such as Premier Hotel and operational headquarters of Peace mass Transit and Ifesinachi Transport Limited for government’s projects, including a modern bus terminus.
“Enugu state government destroyed the large establishments without notice, without prior discussion, without compensation, without providing alternative places.
Edeoga, therefore, called on Mbah to provide relief markets at strategic points in the state for the immediate use of the displaced traders.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government said the demolition was to make space for infrastructure expansion, including a modern bus terminal.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Obi Ozor said the big motor park would comprise of a dual terminal; terminal one would be for interstate transportation while terminal two would be for intra-city transportation.
He said all legal tenants were compensated ahead of the demolition. (NAN)