Dr. Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State, has said that the task of transforming Aba, Abia State’s commercial nerve centre, into a modern, world-class business hub is not a mean one but has become necessary for this knowledge economy age.
Speaking yesterday, Thursday, August 8, at the flag-off of Ekeoha Shopping Complex remodelling project, Otti reminded the audience that although Aba is known globally as an important business destination, a strategic trading hub in West Africa and a fertile ground for traditional enterprises, it has, “unfortunately…not been properly repositioned with its trading spaces to meet the aspirations of the new generation of business people.”
“I mean people who go daily to find the best deals in textiles and clothing materials, shoes and leatherworks, electronics, heavy machinery and parts, and other products,” the Governor said.
He said his government had set up a Project Management Committee to see that there is process transparency, and guarantee that every party meets its obligation, noting that, for it to succeed, the project would require the active support and cooperation of all stakeholders.
Tasking them on the need for such support and cooperation for the benefit of all, Otti assured that when completed, even traders who could not pay outrightly for shops would be allowed, adding that bank support had been secured for such traders so they could also own shops while off-setting their debts over time.
Otti, while addressing the traders’ concerns, said that the cost of the shops would be different from their old rates but promised the shops would be bigger, better and more modern.
Chairman of the shopping complex, Mr Emeka Okeke, thanked the Governor “for showing himself a friend to Aba traders”, disclosing that a place had been secured where the affected traders would be relocated to continue their business until their shops were ready.
Okeke said that traders that were averse to the remodeling idea were those afraid of losing their shops on the completion of the project but reassured that traders who had their allocation documents intact, would regain their shops.
The CEO, Rhino Homes and Properties Limited, Mr Chinedu Onyeizu, the contractors handling the project, promised that his company would deliver a quality project and on schedule.
Onyeizu further said his company would turn the shopping complex into a world class market with digital presence that would satisfy Abia government, traders and their patrons worldwide, explaining that following Otti’s directive, the project’s development would be structured in phases to reduce the impact on the traders.
He further said that the shopping complex would be expanded to the old compound of the School of Health Technology “to ensure no trader is displaced to a distant place”.
Onyeizu said the new market would be internet-enabled, have an elevator, a mini clinic, ambulance, and fire truck for health and emergency response services.
The Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Dr Chimezie Ukaegbu, lamented that the market had faced challenges over the years, which hindered its potential, adding that the market infrastructure had decayed thereby rendering the trading environment less conducive for modern business services.
However, he described the new Ekeoha market as an investment in the future of its traders and patrons, which would boost international trading with a new customer base, upon completion. (NAN)
