Alihame Modern Mkt opens for Business
Ika Mirror
The Alihame Modern Market, Alihame, in Agbor, the headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State is now open for traders.
The market, which was built by the Ika South Local Government under the leadership of Hon(Engr) Jerry Ehiwarior, was commissioned two months ago by the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who was represented by his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, FCA.
Meanwhile, the Alihame Community has warned against outrageous rent for the stores, declaring that it wants a market where people can buy, sell and benefit from the structure erected by the Ika South Local Government.
Speaking on behalf of Alihame Community, its Secretary, Hon Fidelis Aghagbon, said, “With due consultations, we have discovered that most of the stores, about 70 per cent have been allocated to people we don’t even know and only about 30 per cent is for the indigenes. With this development, Alihame Community has directed that all indigenes who were allocated stores must occupy them. From the information reaching us, they are agents offering stores in the market as high as #100,000 to #200,000 per month. And we said that this cannot happen because we have observed that in CTC Market and Edike . Market this was what happened and the stores were abandoned. Most of the people stores were allocated to, at Edike and CTC Markets sat down at home and gave out those stores at high rates, hence, the markets are not striving as expected.
As a community, our elders frowned at it and discussed the issue with the Officer in Charge of Revenue, Ika South Local Government. At the end of discussions, we agreed that we must work together to ensure that the market succeeds. That rent on an open store should not be more than #4,000 or #5,000 a month and #10,000 per month for lock up stores. That the highest amount for rent of an open store, #60,000 and lock up stores, #120,000. The Alihame Community has appealed to the O.C Revenue Ika South Local Government to start allocating stores to those who are willing to trade. The 30 per cent stores that were allocated to the community were rented out at #12,000 each, per year which is #1,000 per month. This was to encourage our market women to thrive in their petty business. We have communicated this our decision to the Ika South Local Government Chairman through the O.C Revenue. In all, the Alihame Community has vowed to place a curse on anyone or group that will rent any store beyond the amounts that was agreed upon which are #60, 000 per year for open stores and #120,000 for lock up stores. We encourage every serious trader to come and occupy the stores. We don’t want the stores to be hijacked by agents.”
The Alihame Community, therefore, appealed to the Ika South Local Government Chairman, Hon(Engr) Jerry Ehiwarior not to allow retrogressive agents to take advantage of the market, so as to enable it achieve its aim.
