The chairman of Agbado/Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon Augustine Arogundade, has urged traders at Ile Epo market, Oke Odo, to eschew confrontation and support his administration’s efforts at rebuilding the market.
Arogundade made the appeal during a parley with top leaders of the market and transporters on Tuesday at the secretariat of the LCDA in Abule Egba.
The council boss enjoined the traders to support the ongoing demolition and redevelopment of the market, saying: ”Change is the only constant thing, though, people would at the initial stage resist but in the end, it would be for the good of all.
”The immediate past administration initiated the project and we decided to execute it because we want to give you the best roads, best markets, best schools, best primary health centres that will befit the mega city status of Lagos State.. The market could no longer meet up with the mega city arrangement of Lagos State, it had become an eyesore, unfit to either keep or sell ware.”
Allaying fears over the demolition exercise, Arogundade said the demolition was being carried out by the council area in conjunction with a property firm, Total Value Integrated Limited, with the approval of the state’s Ministry of Physical Planning.
He said: ”I promise that you will never regret voting the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) government in Lagos State. I do not want you to entertain fears, everything is under control, once the project is completed, traders would be given preference at discounted rates.”
The property developer, Chris Onyekachi promised that a temporary place will be provided for the traders on or before Friday May 11 pending the completion of the project.
He added that the first phase of the redevelopment project would be completed in four months urging the traders to avoid panicking over unpleasant information about the project.