Followed by the fenced open space in front of Federal Road Maintenance Agency’s office FERMA, beside Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt and the order by the Rivers State Commissioner for Urban Development, Hon. Tammy Danagogo; the traders that were doing their business of currency exchange, popularly known as Bureau De Change, at the open space under the umbrella of Association of Northern Traders, (ANT) Port Harcourt, have vacated.
Reacting to this sudden development, Alhaji Lawal Daura, Chairman, Association of Northern Traders, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has called on Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Executive Governor of Rivers State to intervene in their plight. Lawal made this call in Port Harcourt while briefing newsmen on the Commissioner’s order and its impending hardship on them, if not addressed.
Daura maintained that he was disappointed over the way and manner he was treated by the Special Assistants to the Honourable Commissioner in his quest to see him when the fencing of the open space commenced. He added that his efforts to meet with Danagogo to see how he could carry them along and possibly suggest paying to his ministry, for the open space where they carry out their daily businesses was rebuffed.
ANT boss, said he has no power to kick against what ever good intention that the government of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has for the people of his state, but frowned at the way his association was treated, describing it as a let-down to them since they were not given any formal notice as to what government intended doing with the spaces. Only to be ordered in the early hours of June, 2012 by a group of Mobile Police men, Naval and other security agencies, to vacate the area.
Daura expressed that all efforts to explain to the Commissioner ended in fiasco adding that Tammy only informed them of government decision to plant flowers and grasses in the area. This made Alhaji Lawal to wonder if planting of flowers and grasses were more important than the lives and welfare of those persons that were making use of the place to carter for their various families, which according to him, comprised of the Igbos, Ikwerres, Yorubas and other ethnic nationalities with a large number of Hausas and Fulanis.
Alhaji Daura, who affirmed witnessing the passage of seven administrations in Rivers State, drew the attention of the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi to the relationship that had existed between their fore- fathers and the Government of Rivers State, recalling the interview he granted to the Independent Monitor Newspaper, asking his members and all the Northerners in the state to vote for Amaechi, in 20011 election, which they did in their larger numbers, according to Lawal.
Daura, disclosed that they started their business in front of Hotel Presidential, before they were asked to move to the front of FERMA. However, he appealed to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, to come to the aid of the Association of Northern Traders, and those other persons that were benefiting from the business, before the sudden development.
Alhaji Lawal, who described Amaechi as a young and focused governor, urged him not to allow the age-long relationship between Northern Traders and various governments of the state to slip off his hands. ###
Blaise Elumezie
