Like the rising sun Abia State’s most popular market, the Ariaria International Market is emerging from the horizon with a new face. It is a face of modernity for the 47 year-old market characterised mostly by scraggy infrastructure. The traders, who had initially opposed the remodelling plan when government came up with the idea are now appreciating the effort. Their scepticism has given way to excited appreciation as the conceptualised new look Ariaria market is now taking shape.
According to the developer, 14 blocks of shops were earmarked for the first phase of the reconstruction project, starting from the A-Line section of the market. He said that though “we are focusing on A-Line first” the scraggy structures in the entire market would eventually be demolished and replaced with modern structures in a phased development strategy. Okafor said that on completion the market would have a hotel, school, clinic and four motor parks.
Expectedly, Ikpeazu didn’t have it easy with the traders when he came up with idea of remodelling Ariaria. In September 2021 when the remodelling project commened the state government was drawn into a running battle with Ariaria traders. They vehemently opposed being relocated to alternative locations to make way for the reconstruction of the market. They were propelled by the fear of losing their shops after the completion of the remodelling project.
In one of the meetings held at Government Lodge Aba, after the flooding of the market in September 2022, the Governor Ikpeazu made it known to the traders that it was necessary to remodel Ariaria. He said: “There’s no Abia State without Aba and there’s no Aba without Ariaria market. No Governor will succeed without paying attention to trade and commerce as far as Abia is concerned”.
However, it has become clear that the remodelling of Ariaria market would not be completed before Ikpeazu bows out of office on May 29. Not to worry. The outgoing government of Okezie Ikpeazu has said that government is a continuum and so it would be in the interest of Abia State for the incoming administration to sustain the ongoing market remodelling project in the state.
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