Ariaria International Market traders have debunked claims by some people in Aba that the state government and Henkens, the developer of the Ariaria ultra-modern complex confiscated their old shops for re-allocation to others.
Arising from a meeting they held under the aegis of Ariaria Allotees Traders Association, the Chairman of the association, Chief Goddy Udunna said that they had a town hall meeting with the previous administration on the way forward for traders who are to pay N20,000 for the expression of interest form, after which an allottee who is a trader will pay N5 million while non-traders will pay N6 million, all through the bank.
“Based on the agreement, we obeyed”, he said stating that recently, some people engaged some security agencies to allege that the new shops belong to them without going through the stipulated process of acquiring the shops. Did they pay for the expression of interest forms? About 85% of the traders are occupying their own shops now. The group is trying to destroy the good efforts of the Developer.
He added, “We are happy about the befitting edifice here in Ariaria.”
In a communique they raised after the meeting, the traders said, “We are also aware of the activities of some group of people who are fermenting trouble and alleging that their shops are taken from them without allowing them to buy back their shops. This group of people have not even purchased or obtained an application of interest form from UBA, yet they are the ones agitating and picking holes (fault finders). Before now, they told interested traders who obtained application forms that they would lose their money because the project would not see the light of the day.
“It is pertinent to state here that 80-85% of the previous shop owners have been able to acquire their shops back and from the statistical record available to us the number of shops demolished is 3,800 whereas the number of shops remodelled and are available is 4,800 which implies 1000 shops above the previous number of shops demolished.
“We hereby condemn in the strongest terms the activities of mischievous persons who under whatsoever guise probably working with the opposition in the state to undermine the good work of Dr Alex Otti in the state and urge them to desist forthwith. However, we implore all interested previous shop owners and intended ones to come forth and comply with the process of acquiring their shops back.
“Therefore, we wish to align ourselves with his Otti’s desire to help interested traders to acquire back their shops with the help of banks at reasonable interest rate.”
The new shops at the market, he said were enough to accommodate all and urged them to comply with the processes of acquiring shops, adding, “propaganda is an instrument of warfare and they want shops to be given to them free”. They appealed to the state government to retain the Developer, as they have seen his quality job.
Also speaking, some traders, including Hon. Frank Moses and Madam Edith Ezenwa extolled the virtue of the Developer noting, “Anyone saying that the Developer collected the shops to resell, is a lie from the pit of hell. All traders who paid will be given shops. Nobody is taking away the shops.
“Someone is using them to do his selfish interest. Whoever is fighting this, is fighting the word of God as prophesied that Ariaria will become great. We are happy and the Developer knows what he is doing here. This market was built as an international market, but has nothing to show. Now, it is the new face of Ariaria Market.”
While commending Otti for giving them the new structure through the Developer, they said, “none of us got the shop free. The shop is not gotten on a platter of gold. The offer us still on.”
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