The Chairman of Ogoja Local Government Council, Christopher Agbeh, has condemned the unsanitary conditions at Abakpa Market, describing the situation as unacceptable and calling for urgent reforms to improve the environment.
During an unscheduled visit to the market, Agbeh directed the Market Master to ensure that traders operate in a clean and healthy environment. He warned that the council would take strict action against pollution and any form of unauthorized extortion allegedly carried out by a self-styled environmental sanitation committee.
The chairman also raised concerns over the persistent congestion along the Abakpa–Federal School Road, which has hindered the free flow of traffic, particularly on market days. He subsequently ordered security agencies to arrest and prosecute individuals who obstruct traffic or violate environmental regulations.
Speaking on the situation, the Chairman of the market’s Environmental Sanitation Committee, Mr. Raymond Ntol, said efforts have been made to clear waste from drainage systems. However, he noted that some traders continue to dispose of refuse indiscriminately, often during late hours. He pledged the committee’s commitment to preventing environmental pollution and potential disease outbreaks.
Agbeh, who was accompanied by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Mary Illah Otoro, as well as other council officials and stakeholders, further directed the Vice Chairman to oversee the affairs of the market as part of her official responsibilities. The move, he said, is aimed at ensuring sustainable development and improved management of the market.