Tejiri Ebikeme/Francis Sadhere
The peace-loving people of Ugbuwangwe community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have protested the demolition of their market by unknown persons.
Staging the peaceful protest in front of the demolished market located on the NPA Express Road, Warri, the people of the community described the action as illegal and breach of court order.
Some members of the community, while speaking to newsmen over the demolished market, they commended the Delta State Government for its good intervention of opening the market for operations in the community but frowned at the action of the those who pulled down the market and relocated the Hausa traders elsewhere.
Ugbuwangue Youth Chairman, Mr. Popo Benjamin Omamgho expressed total dismay over the demolition of the market, saying that the case of the ownership of the said community land between Prince Agndotan Yonwuren and the community was still in court, urging parties involved to wait for the outcome of the case.
He said; “We were shocked when some persons came to destroy the only market serving the community without regard to law and order. We are using this medium to appeal to the Delta State Government to wade into the matter and I still want to implore our people to remain calm and maintain law and order as we are peace loving people.”
Mr. Omamogho added those who demolished the market were mis-interpreting what the Governor said, saying that Governor only told the traders to trade outside the market in the next three months when he will commission the market and give it to the local government council who will in-turn work with the community.
Also speaking to our correspondent, the Assistant Secretary of the community, Mrs. Mercy J. Okwe Said that the action of those who demolished the market could cause a lot of youth restiveness in the community, stressing that some of the youths do make their living from the market.
“As a father to Delta State, Governor Uduaghan would not do anything that would cause problem to the community. I want to say here that it is not good for citizens to miss-interpret what the Governor said; because the people of Ugbuwangwe are not miscreants, they are all educated persons. So nobody should take us for granted. The Olaraja of this community is an Ambassador and we want to believe that if the Governor wants to carry out any development in the community, he will first of all see the Olaraja who is Ambassador (Dr.) Preslin Egbe and the community at large,” she said
Also speaking, another youth leader in the community, Mr. Ofoyeju Izuagie, described the demolition of the market with over 5,000 traders as uncivilized act and called on Government to fish out those who carried out the action.
Addressing the protesters, a senior aide to the Delta State Government, Mr. Vincent Uduaghan, appealed for calm saying all would be done by the government to address the issue.
According to him; “When I heard about the matter, I immediately called the Governor who said he was not aware of the destruction of the market and never instructed anybody to do and I want to appeal to members of the community and the affected traders to be calm and go about their lawful businesses.”
