Lorine Emenike
Traders who claimed to be rightful shop owners at the reconstructed Rumu-Woji mile One Market have kicked against planned balloting system to allocate the newly built shops at the market by Rivers State Government.
The traders spoke during in protest to journalists in Port Harcourt, saying the planned balloting was against the promise made to them by Governor NYESOM WIKE.
The Rumuwoji Phase two shop owners want the governor to keep his promises of giving back the shops to the original owners before balloting the remaining shops.
The aggrieved traders said it will be unjust for the Government to neglect those who rightfully own the shop and subject all to balloting, saying that former Governor ROTIMI AMAECHI freely gave back the owner of phase one shops what was due to them after he finished building it.
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Human Right Advocate, O.C HIGHER-KING who addressed the protesters said the actions of Rivers State Government will amount to a violation of human right should the government go-ahead to refuse to allocate shops to the rightful shop owners and subject them to balloting.
Recall that Rivers State Government had rolled out a Time Table for the allocation of the newly rebuilt Rumu-Woji Mile one market.
The balloting will take effect from 24th of February 2020 which includes verification and balloting for all interested individuals.
The shop allocation activities which is expected to end on the third of March with Public balloting was signed by the Commissioner for Housing, Elder CHINEDU TASIE who is the Market allocation committee Chairman and its Secretary, FELIX ODUNGWERU.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Organizations in Rivers State has vowed to join forces with the shop owners at Rumu-Woji phase two market to ensure that their shops are allocated back to the rightful owners.
The State Chairman of Civil Liberty Organization, ENEFA GEORGEWILL, who spoke during the protest by the shop owners described as sympathetic the plan balloting system by Government to allocate shops to the rightful owners.
GEORGEWILL disclosed that the group was already making necessary plans with human advocates for legal action should the government insist on using balloting system to allocate the shop to the owners.
GEORGEWILL maintained that Government must first give back the original owners their shops before carrying out their balloting with the rest of individuals who may be interested or should be ready to meet them in court.
