By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Owners of shops likely to be affected by the construction of the 11th and 12th flyovers at Rumuokwuta Junction axis of Ikwerre Road and Location Junction, NTA Road, Mgbuoba, respectively, have cried out to the Rivers State Government to assist them with funds to facilitate their relocation.
Speaking to a group of journalists on Saturday, the shop owners said they would need financial assistance to enable them secure alternative shops as they prepare to vacate their current shops marked for demolition.
They complained that it has not been easy to retrieve the balance of
their rents from their landlords, most of who they said claim not to have money at hand and are waiting to be compensated first by the state government before refunding them.
“Please, we’re appealing to the government to assist us. Since they said that our shops will be affected, I have been looking for another shop. The one I see I no fit pay because the money is too much. “When I tell my land lord, he said he no get money, say government never pay am. That’s why am begging the Rivers State Government to assist us with some money so that we can get another shop,” Ike, a shop owner at Rumuokwuta said.
Another trader, who owns a boutique near Rumuokwuta Junction, lamented that even if his landlord refunds him the balance of his rent, it would still not be enough to get him a new shop. He said:
“To get a shop around here now is very expensive. They’re collecting from 20, 25 to N30,000 a month for a good shop. Whether you sell or you no sell, they no care o. And you must pay for two years or one and half years. If you no do fast, another person dey ready to collect am.
“To get this type of shop now no go dey easy for me, even though my landlord refund me my little balance as they don give us quit notice. My rent will be due in four months time but the money is not even there to pay for another shop because business dey poor since last year. No market. Make government help us abeg. Even if na to give us soft loan, it will help us and we will be paying back small small.”
Grace, a foodstuff/beverages seller at Mgbuoba whose shop will be impacted by the Location Junction flyover, bemoaned the precariousness of her situation. She said her business had been the only source of her family’s maintenance.
“If I lose this shop, na im be say we don finish be that. Na this shop dey sustain my family. Na from here I dey train my children. As they wan do this flyover now, I no get money to look for another shop now, so I dey beg our governor to please help me. I need money to get another shop. Since they say they wan start this flyover, thinking wan kill me. Let Governor help me please,” she begged.
TPCN’s checks showed that the preparations for the commencement of the flyovers’ construction have begun in earnest. For instance, part of the median of NTA Road, from Ohakwe
Junction to Location Junction, has been removed. Also, from Ohakwe to Location Junction has partly been blocked, with “Diversion” signs to direct motorists to follow one lane from Ohakwe towards Location Junction.
