BY BENSON OKOBI-ALLANAH
Traders at Oko Market, Asaba, the Delta State capital, located along the ever-busy Asaba-Benin Expressway are not having the best of times in sales of their wares as they complain of perennial flooding at the place of buying and selling.
It is time of relief the moment the rainy season is gone, but not a complete relief as they (the traders) have to contend with thick dust that usually engulf the entire market like billowing smoke from a terrible inferno, thus, making their wares covered with dust.
‘We traders here in Oko Market, Asaba, prefer the dusty times to flood when River Niger overflows its bank to join this swampy part of the city of Asaba where the market is located. When one is asked to choose between two contending alternatives, I think many traders here and customers who come here most times to buy some essential commodities will prefer the dry season because despite the dusty nature, people can still cope to some extent irrespective of the health hazards that come with it.’ Kelechi, who caims to be a graduate that sells provision in the market told Midweek Teaser in her shop,’
The overall Chairman of Cattle Market, Alhaji Musa Shuwa, who is the immediate past Chairman of Oko Market, Asaba, called for sand-filling of the market and makes the market more conducive for sellers and sellers.
Chairman of Native Fowl Section, Mallam A. Buba Yamaha, while still lamenting on the flood that usually bring down sales of commodities in the market, says if the Oshimili South council local or state government can help in maintaining the market, that the issue of flooding will not be felt much. On how it is affecting their sales, he says ‘For now, sales are okay because the market is a bit free since there is no rain. But the moment there is rain, only few buyers brave the courage to be here as they resort to other markets in the city to purchase what they need. We don’t blame them because they cannot swim in the flood because they want to buy things from us. He says before now, they only sell 50 baskets of native fowls. Right now, they sell over 200 baskets of fowl because many consumers prefer native fowls to other species of chicken, and for the fact too that there is no serious rain for now in the market. Collaborating what the chairman said, the Secretary of the Native Fowl Section, Jamilo Mato, who claims they have both been in the business for over 3o years, says native fowls taste more than any other fowls, hence people always come for it, but however says, like the Chairman pointed much earlier, that flooding of the market hinders their sales a lot and says if government can do something to alleviate their sufferings, that it will be so nice.’
At the Alhaji Musa Slot, one of the butchers at the abattoirs in the market, who spoke through Shedrack Chukwu another butcher, said he gets worried when customers and other consumers complain of the costly price of cow meat when what they use in transporting one cow from the north to Asaba, ranges between N60, 000 to N70, 000, aside other expenses incurred. ‘People should know that it is not easy for us traders in this market. When we were at the other side, old Hausa Market, now being built as the Asaba International Market, we felt better as there was no flood disturbing us. But here we are now, selling and buying during rainy season is always very difficult if not impossible. If drainages are built to channel the flood into the River Niger it will be a bit better off. Now, we sell low as cheap as N4, 000 to enable people to come and buy. It is the only market in Asaba that suffer extreme flooding. Government should have left us at the old market, or better still when they were bringing us here, first put the entire place in other.’
The Vice-Chairman of the Fish Section, Alhaji Umaru Tunga, says the market will be more viable if government pays adequate attention to it as it is in the state capital and one of the viable markets in the capital city, saying that perennial flooding of the market has made sales very difficult.
He also added that some traders have as a result of perennial flooding of the market, relocated to other markets in Asaba, thereby leaving many of the locked up stores vacated.
All others who spoke on the challenges facing the market say the only time the market remain a bit viable is when rainy season has not set in, but said even at that, people, mostly buyers coming to make some purchases do complain about its dusty nature which makes some would-have –been customers to stay away. The issue of touting was not without mentioning. Community touts from some neighbouring communities within the Asaba Capital Territory like Oko, Oduke,Okwe, Ezenei, come to collect all forms of levies from market men and women including buyers who they tout and intimidate.
‘This is aside the levies collected by the owners of the market,Oshimili South local government and other taskforce members that claim they are working for the governments, the local and state governments. In fact, the market is about the worst market in Asaba where touts thrive, flood is the in-thing, and several other challenges register their real impact. Those who ought to have been checking these illegal collections in the name of levies, unfortunately, are the ones giving these touts, some of them we learnt even come from the neighbouring Onitsha, Odekpe, Atani to participate in touting and illegal, the backing they don’t deserve.’ Maxi Maxwell Ngbakornu, a trader in the market, said.
Another trader who was blunt on the issue of flooding and the reason why it is overwhelming the market, says ‘most of us workers also contribute to a great deal of the flooding by the way we clog the market with refuse just the same way we residents of the capital city of Asaba, throw refuse indiscriminately on the roads and block drainages with filths.
‘We cannot be complaining all the time of flood taking over Oko Market, Asaba, while we are to some extent contributing to it. The way some traders manage waste is alarming. We throw waste anyhow, and some of us live in it, eat in it, and rejoice in it like flies happily come together partying in refuse and leftovers of decaying animals. You mean to see how some traders eat in midst of these stinking waste materials, you will be appalled.’ A woman who simply want to be identified as Mama Obinna, told Midweek Teaser in Asaba.
