3,000 displaced as Enugu demolishes market

This is the second part of the demolition of the old park market. Before now, there was order from the Enugu High Court restraining government from knocking down the market without first relocating some 890 complaining traders. Aside the official shop/shade owners in the market, not less than 2,000 others engaged in various businesses in the market […]

This is the second part of the demolition of the old park market.
 Before now, there was order from the Enugu High Court restraining government from knocking down the market without first relocating some 890 complaining traders.
 Aside the official shop/shade owners in the market, not less than 2,000 others engaged in various businesses in the market have been displaced since  the second phase of the demolition began in the afternoon, lasting till evening.
The state government had earlier served a fresh quit notice on its intention to demolish the entire structures in the market.
During the first phase of the demolition executed under the supervision of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), about 66 stalls were pulled down. But at the weekend, the remaining 824 were marked for demolition beginning.
 In 2012, government said it would relocate the traders to enable it build a shopping mall in the area. Government said it warned the affected traders to relocate to the new market on Aria Road, also in Enugu North Council.
However, as government began to issue eviction notices to traders, they (traders) approached the court on the ground that the so-called alternative allocation did not exist.
In the suit number EN/184m/2012 filed on their behalf by Ifeanyichukwu Eneh against the state government and Enugu Capital Territory, the traders sought the protection of their property rights.
The court had through both interim and interlocutory orders restrained the state government from demolishing the stalls without providing alternative place to the affected traders.
 Some of the affected traders, who commented  on the development said they were shocked to arrive at their shops on Friday and read a notice from the state government, ordering  them to leave.
One of the affected traders, Chief Joseph Ahara said, “We’re not against government doing whatever they want to do in the place, but what we are saying is that many of us have paid rents in advance running into millions to the same state government. They asked for the rents, collected them and never told us that we are not wanted here. This is where we do our business. Many of us have two to three shops here. What we are asking for is that they should show us alternative places to do our business.”
Another affected trader, Mrs Ifeoma Uzoma, mother of five children who deals in school bags, clothes, foodstuffs and other items could not quantify the loss she incurred owing to the demolition.
“I’ve been selling articles here since 12 years. My shade was destroyed. People helped me to remove some of my goods,” she said. She said government gave the traders quit notice but the leadership of the traders association made serious and passionate appeal which was rejected by the government. “But they told us that we’ll stay in the old park till January 2014. Now suddenly, they came,” she said.
In a statement by their counsel, Tagbo Ike, the traders condemned the action of the state government as not only dictatorial but barbaric.
 It read, “We watch in awe and total amazement the orchestrated demolitions and threats of further demolitions of market stalls of our clients at Old Park, Ogbete Market, Enugu by the government through the instrumentality of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority in spite of the subsisting and extant order of the High Court of Enugu state in restraint of the demolition.”
 It advised the state government to abide by the rule of law and stop further demolition of the stalls as well as await the outcome of the litigations.
 Efforts to reach the commissioner in charge of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Development Authority (ECTDA), Mr Ikechukwu Egede on the issue failed as he neither answered calls to his mobile number nor responded to text messages sent to him.
The Public Relations Officer of ECTDA, Mr Mike Okoh would not comment on the development. But a top official of the ministry said the traders were not supposed to be at the park in the first place. The official said the traders built 896 shops inside a place originally meant to be a motor park, thereby congesting the place. “The original plan is for the place to be a park,” said the official, who didn’t want his name in print.
Reminded of the court order obtained by the traders which restrained the government from demolishing the stalls without first providing alternative place, he said he was not aware of the order. But he added that government had planned to relocate the traders to Aria Road area, except that “some of the traders are being stubborn.”
When our reporter visited the Old Park, earth-moving machines were still roaring and knocking down structures. Some of the traders were busy evacuating their belongings from the scene.