Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has restated the State Government’s resolve not to allow anyone to live inside the Umuchieze Cattle Market market in umunneochi local government area.
The Governor who spoke on Sunday, when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Market, along the Enugu-Umuahia-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, while returning to Abia from Enugu State on a private visit expressed his determination to rid the popular Cattle Market of crime and make it non-residential.
Governor Otti made it clear that his administration is ready to protect legitimate business persons trading in the market and support such individuals explained that he stopped by in the market to inspect ongoing perimeter fencing project, aimed at securing the market, which had been a safe haven for perpetrators of violent crimes, including kidnappers, before they were dislodged by Operation Crush, the multi-agency security task force of Abia State.
He further decried the unsanitary condition of the market and admonished the traders on the need to clean up their environment.
In his words, “I stopped around the abattoir and I found that the place is very dirty and smelly. So, we have to ensure that it is clean because it is what people eat. If they get contaminated, people will fall sick, and you don’t want to sell your cattle, sell your meat and somebody eats it and gets sick. So, you have a responsibility to keep the abattoir and everywhere you are clean.
“The next thing that I want to talk about is the issue of residence here. I’m sure that you are aware that the residents will leave here so that this place will be a market. So, the Government is making plans to locate where you will live. “So, everyone who is doing a legitimate business, the government will protect you. What we don’t want are criminals. You must fish out every criminal because the day they will attack; they may be attacking you. Criminals don’t ask where you come from, what religion or what language you speak’’
He thanked the traders and their leaders for their cooperation and support to ensure that the State Government’s policy of securing the market and making it non-residential is realised.
In his speech, Alhaji Danladi, the Chairman of Slaughter (Cattle Market), thanked the Governor for his visit and expressed happiness that the government was interested in the welfare and well-being of the cattle traders.
