Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work at the Creek Road Market under construction in Port Harcourt, assuring that the project will be completed by January 2027.
The governor stated this on Friday during an inspection visit to the market site, which he said was prompted by a meeting he had with SETRACO, the construction firm handling the resurfacing of roads in the Old Port Harcourt Township.
According to Governor Fubara, SETRACO had, in the course of the meeting, identified the Creek Road axis as a major cause of delay in its road rehabilitation works.
He said street traders had virtually taken over the road, making it impossible for the contractor to work.
Governor Fubara noted that relocating the traders to the new market remains the only solution to freeing the road for the resurfacing work to be done successfully.
Despite the challenges encountered since the commencement of the project, the governor said he was impressed with what he saw on site, commending the contractor for the quality of the job done so far.
He disclosed that the first phase of the market comprises about 700 stalls and shops, covering both wet and dry sections, which he said is sufficient to accommodate most of the women trading along Creek Road and ultimately restore the free flow of traffic along the route.
He assured the contractor handling the market project that the State Government will do its part to ensure the project continues as agreed, including addressing the issue of funding raised by the contractor, to guarantee timely delivery.
Speaking on the benefits of the market, Governor Fubara said the project goes beyond providing trading spaces, as it is also aimed at restoring sanity, decency, and a healthy environment in the Old Port Harcourt Township, which he described as home to many aged people and aborigines of the city.
He lamented that the condition of the old market forced traders onto the streets, turning Creek Road and adjoining streets into an open market.
Fubara observed that trading along the streets could create serious environmental and health hazards, noting that many diseases are caused by overcrowding, dirt, and uncleanliness.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of Rivers people.
He stressed that he is happy, not just as head of the current administration, but as a citizen of the state, to see a project that will return the Old Port Harcourt Township to its cherished status as a clean and orderly city.