Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging Governor Chukwuma Soludo to direct the Special Adviser on Trade and Market and the Managing Director, Awka Capital Development Authority to commence the construction of affordable local mini markets within Awka metropolis to control the menace of street trading and associated effects on the state capital.
The House passed the resolution following a motion presented to that effect by the member representing Awka South One Constituency, Honourable Henry Mbachu during plenary in Awka.
The motion, Honourable Mbachu informed the House that residents of Awka metropolis who could not afford renting of lock up shops resort to road side trading to make ends meet thereby distorting the aesthetics of the capital city which resulted in the move by the relevant authority to apply measures to stop the menace of street trading while the outcome was unpleasant.
He disclosed that the people patronize these shanties because the existing markets are far from residential areas while people also look for ways to reduce cost of living and cost of transportation.
Honourable Mbachu maintained that the creation of mini-markets within Awka metropolis will be a solution to solve the menace of shanties, street trading and serve as a means of encouraging micro businesses thereby achieving the goals of making Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland .
On his part, the member representing Orumba North Constituency, Honourable Paul Obu who noted that there are many quarters within Awka Metropolis which created the need to establish local mini-markets to serve the people living within those areas added that creation of the markets will arrest street trading, accident and inculcate discipline in petty traders.
In their separate speeches, the member representing Ayamelum Constituency, Honourable Bernard Udemezue and the member representing Orumba South Constituency, Honourable Emma Nwafor noted that creation of mini-markets within Awka Metropolis will reduce diversion of government revenue to private pockets as it will enable government to generate revenue from the markets through numbers that will be allocated to the traders.
The speaker of the House, Right Honourable Somtochukwu Udeze observed that street trading does not encourage the building of a decent society and urged well-to-do individuals and corporate organisations in Anambra State to assist the state government in this regard by building mini-markets within Awka Metropolis to salvage the situation.
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