By Eben Enasco
For close to a decade, the people of Ogba and neighboring communities have waited to start commercial activities in the 40-Block-Ultra Modern stall market in ward two of Oredo Government Council.
The long wait ended on Wednesday when the Oredo Government Council’s Chairman Dr. Tom Obaseki commissioned the building for operations in Benin City as part of the council’s efforts to bring economic development to the people.
While addressing the large crowd of elated people including traders of the community who turned at the commissioning, Obaseki described the event as historical, reaffirming his commitment to the people.
The council chairman said as one of the oldest markets, it is a very important trading facility that will make the people happy, noting that the collaboration shows the mileage between the host community and other collaborators, adding that the council is very serious about market development to eliminate street trading.
He emphasized that it was the beginning of the priorities set by the council to ensure that the people had a decent environment for trading.
While thanking the people for their sense of purpose the chairman stated that the council has started the process of installing electricity for a decent trade environment.
Handing over the market to the Council Chairman, the Spokesman, and legal representative of the Ogba community, Dele Edokpaye, congratulated the Chairman for his ability to take such a step in bringing the hopes and aspirations of the people to fruition
He added that the construction is aimed at transforming the weekly trading facility into a daily operated market for the people of the Ogba community and environs just as he expressed his beliefs in the capacity of the Chairman to transform the already 40-block-Ultra Modern Stall market to a one-hundred-store building stressing that it will further enhance the economic value of the community.
Earlier, the community interface Coordinator, For the Nigeria Petroleum Development Commission, Owunari Tomikeimieye, described the Ogba market as a very useful and veritable way of preserving food stocks, thanking the Chairman for his doggedness and commitment to safeguarding the interest of his people.
On her part, the elated Iyeki (woman leader) of the Ogba market, Deaconess Gloria Odia, who spoke on behalf of the traders expressed satisfaction describing it as a joyful experience after the market was built in 2015 as successive administrations failed to commission it.
