Alakeme Private Markets Guys Fire

 

By Admin

The Bayelsa State Private Market popularly known as Alakeme Market has been reportedly gutted by fire.

It was learnt that the Alakeme market which  cropped up immediately  Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State closed down the Etegwe/ Okutukutu market last month  had been checkmating the government approved market which was moved to Tombia/Amasomma Road making the new market not to thrive.

Recall that the state  government  had forcibly relocated the traders to the new market site about three days to the second-term inauguration of Diri and his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, on February 14, as the road houses the state's airport through which invited guests would drive to grace the event.

The reason according to the government was that the traders were carrying out their businesses on the right of way of Shell pipeline and that trading on top of the crude oil pipelines was dangerous.

But it was learnt on Sunday that the  private market  has been gutted by fire as   sellers came to see the place already on fire with tight security sorrounding the market.

Also recall that barely 24 hours after viral  media reports  on the neglect of the new market site of the popular Etegwe / Okutukutu/ Market in Yenagoa where the traders were forcibly relocated to by the Bayelsa State Government, Governor Douye Diri  undertook an unscheduled visit to the new market to see things for himself.

Diri  was said to have stopped his convoy on Friday  convoy to address the  traders at the new market site on his way from the state's airport.

 

The governor, according to a statement, said that  the new market site would be completed immediately his second term cabinet was formed.

Also, in a trending 10-second video, the governor is heard during the abrupt stopover at the new market site directing the Chief Security Coordinator/Coordinator of Bayelsa Community Safety Corps, Brig-Gen. Eric Angaye (retd) to "make sure that all of those people (traders in private markets) relocate here ( the new market site)."

The traders had  few days ago in separate interviews told members of the Federated Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, during a tour of the new market site, that they had not been making sales since the government forced them to evacuate the old market site on February 11, 2024.

They threatened to stage a protest next week Monday if the Diri-admininistration continued to be insensitive to them and the environment of the new market site.

It was observed that the new market site, which is located in a marshy environment that is prone to massive flooding, has a small part of it sand-filled for the traders to set their tables and display their wares, while a large portion has not been sand-filled.

Lamenting their suffering to the journalists, the traders said they had been recording losses since their relocation as customers were not coming to buy things from them.

They said customers prefer to stop around the old market site where some private markets still exist, to buy the things they need instead of coming to the environmentally-poor new market site.

When this correspondent put a call across to the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer  Musa Mohammed, he said he was not aware and promised to  call back.

As at the time of filing in this report he  was yet to call back.