The people of Enugu Ezike, in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State and the adjoining communities were recently thrown into wild jubilation following the completion of expansion of the popular Eke Ozzi Market with more shops for easy and convenient trading.
Hon. Ejike Itodo, Chiarman, Igboeze North Local Government Area
Indeed, Hon. Ejike Itodo, the Executive Chairman of Igboeze North Local Government Area, has again added yet another giant feather to his cap by broadening up and decongesting the Eke Ozzi Market space thereby enhancing opportunities as well as ease of doing business in the market, which is located at the heart of urban area of Ogrute, which is also the landlord of the council headquarters.
TimesReporters understand that four sections the market including the butchers secrion, the Plastics dealers, electronics, music and video dealers along with livestock dealers specialising on sales of goats and rams, sections were alloted brand new shops.
Represented by the Secretary to the Local Government, Barrister Paul Odoh, during the commissioning of the project, the Council Chairman, Hon Itodo, said the market expansion became necessary to attract more people to visit and purchase local goods and services.
Itodo said at this stage where new opportunities for marketing rural destinations abound through the use websites, smartphones applications and social media, Eke Ozzi, which is Igboeze North’s main market cannot be seen to be lagging behind hence the massive expansion.
“Expanding rural markets means attracting more people to rural areas where they can then purchase local goods and services. This offers the potential for increased margins and improved returns for rural producers.
“There are new opportunities for marketing rural destinations through websites, smartphone applications and social media. These can increase visitor numbers to an area and also help consumers to locate individual rural businesses. This is why we decided to not only expand the market by creating more shops but also make the place more beautiful in line with the global trends” he said.
Earlier, Hon. Johnson Ogbu, the Deputy Chairman of Igboeze North Local Government Area, who is also Chairman, Market committee, extolled his boss for his foresight in developmental projects.
He expressed gratitude to the Chairman for giving him opportunity to serve in that capacity while enjoining the traders to relocate to their respective shops without delay and directed the relocation task force to swing into action immediately.
Responding on behalf of the traders the Chairman of Eke Ozzi Market Union Mr. Sunday Nwangwu expressed appreciation to the Council boss for providing the facilities and promised that they will be effectively put into use.
In the same vein, the boreholes earlier built and commissioned by the State Government was officially handed over to the Market Union to maintain and ensure that the borehole optimally utilized.
The Secretary while commissioning the shops enjoined the traders to embrace peace and learn how to tolerate each other in the course of their business. He advised them to avoid unheathy competitions.
Present at the ceremony were the Chairman of the traditional ruler’s Council HRH, Igwe Gabriel Agbedo, HRH Igwe Wilfred Ekere, The Chairman of EMETA Mr Nwangwu, Mr Ojadi HOD, Community Development, Council supervisors among others.
