From Our Correspondent
Enugu State governor, Dr Peter Mbah has signed an Executive Order relocating the auto spare parts and allied trades market, as well as other industrial and commercial activities at Coal Camp and other neighbourhoods within Enugu Capital Territory to the new International Spare Parts and Allied Trades Park.
Speaking at the the brief signing ceremony of the Executive Order witnessed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kingsley Udeh, and leaders of Enugu spare parts dealers at the Government House, Mbah assured that the errors and challenges presented by Coal Camp Spare Parts Market were effectively addressed in the new one.
“This new market is actually a purpose-built vehicle because it was designed to be a market in the true sense of the word and with all the supporting facilities. We have taken into account all the safety codes that are required to have an international market.
“As you may already be aware, the construction is ongoing. We are aggressively opening up the roads and also the building itself. That construction has commenced.
“Our hope is that in the next few months, you will move from the current location to an international market where we have provided all the services. There is going to be a clinic and fire service there. There is going to be a truck park.
“All the errors, all the challenges and the problems we have in the existing market will be addressed in the new market,” the governor said.
In his remarks, President of Enugu Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association, Chief Michael Nomeh hailed the governor for keeping to his campaign promise after decades of disappointments endured by the traders.
“We are so excited about the relocation of Enugu motor spare parts dealers to the permanent site, which is of international standard.
“We thank the governor for the campaign promise that he has fulfilled. Since the inception of democracy in 1999 till date, there have been so many promises to our people that they will relocate to the international market. But none of them kept to their promise. That is why we appreciate the governor for keeping to his campaign promise less than two years after he took office,” Nomeh stated.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Enugu State Investment Development Authority, Dr Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo described the move and the location of the new site as strategic, noting that the traders would be able to own shops, unlike the present Coal Camp site where most of them rented shops.
He explained that the state government is committed to the establishment of a commercial hub that will be a self-contained community with the full compliments of the various ancillary and supporting land uses that will create a comprehensive multi-functional commercial and industrial ecosystem in the emerging 9th Mile business corridor of the state.
