The continuing refurbishment of A-line in Ariaria International Market has caused some dealers to incur a two-year tax burden, which has been waived by the Abia State government.
The payment of revenues gathered by state and local government agents in the state’s marketplaces is part of the two-year tax exemptions.
Chief John Okiyi Kalu, Commissioner for Trade and Investment, who made this announcement at a meeting with traders in Aba, explained that the waiver was made in sympathy and support of the traders who had recently been affected by flooding in the market brought on by the torrential rains of the previous three days.
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He stressed that the government will provide financial support to the affected traders while announcing the formation of a committee made up of Ministry officials and traders to analyse the level of damage done to the goods of impacted dealers by the rains.
The Commissioner also revealed that the Governor would commission three blocks of the renovated A-Line and the road leading to it in December 2022.
‘While we will continue to build high-quality shop structures in A-line, we have mobilised resources to make sure that construction of the A-line road and related drainages will start as soon as the rain stops and be finished during the upcoming dry season window. To ensure that this phase of the project, which will provide generations of traders with modern market infrastructure, is carried out successfully, we would like to continue to partner with our traders and market visitors and to ask for their support, understanding, and continued participation.
Blessed Henken International Company Limited, the market’s developer, has been given the go-ahead to start excavating and building a 2-meter-wide culvert across Faulks Road from A-line to direct storm water from the construction area to the Waterside River in Aba through the Faulks/Osusu Road drainage way.
He issued a warning to politicians not to start a problem at the market because security personnel have been instructed to maintain the safety of people and property there.
We have also been informed of political-sponsored hoodlum conspiracies to use these natural disasters as cover for damage and looting of items belonging to law-abiding market vendors. The state administration has instructed security personnel to protect the market and the traders while also taking immediate action against troublemakers and their backers.