The issue of street/roadside trading in Port Harcourt particularly the Rumuokoro axis of Obio/Akpor has been ongoing for a while despite government efforts to put a stop to it by constructing an ultra modern market there.
Some roadside traders in an interview stated reasons why they still display their wares along the road.
“The standard of living in Port Harcourt is very high and it is very difficult to afford shop rent no matter how one tries.
” Again, the newly constructed market by the state government is still under lock and key.
“There is nothing we can do about it and we don’t even enjoy selling outside because when it rains, it spoils our wares and it’s also very risky selling out here.”
Another street trader also said they pay for the space where they sell their wares to some government officials who claim to be in charge of the area where they display their goods.
” we pay for these spaces and we know there is no way the government would send us packing. This is not the first time this is happening, it’s whenever they want money that they come to scare us by threatening to throw away our goods”.
They also urged the state government to open the newly completed market so that they can stop selling by the road side.
Meanwhile, the Caretaker Chairman of Obio Akpor, Noble Amadi has said that he is investigating to find out why the market is still under lock and promised that roadside traders would be put into consideration until the market is finally opened for them to move in.
“We can’t throw them away although we are putting up laws to stop illegal trading by the road side. It would be unfair because we have to provide first where they have to move to before getting them off the road.”
