Abia Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu
No person died at at Ariaria Market project site, Abia Govt clarifies
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Abia Government has denied reports that three persons died at the reconstruction site of Ariaria International Market, Aba.
Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, made the clarification while interacting with The Oracle Today in Umuahia, Wednesday.
The clarification followed reports that rubbles collapsed on three scavengers at the Ariaria International reconstruction site last Monday, leading to their death.
“There is no truth in that report in that report. No one died at the reconstruction site,” Okiyi said.
However, following the rubbles collapse incident, government has warned unauthorised persons to keep off from the Ariaria market project site or risk arrest and prosecution.
Chairman, Media Sub-Committee, Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee on the Rebuilding of Ariaria International Market, Mr. Ugochukwu Alaribe, in a statement made available to newsmen, said that unauthorized flooding the project site were slowing down the pace of work.
Alaribe disclosed that reports reaching the Project Implementation Committee indicate that some scavengers who went on illegal demolition of a structure in the A Line section of the market were trapped and injured as the already compromised building collapsed on them.
According to the Project Implementation spokesman, the developers were not on duty at the time of the unfortunate incident.
He added that the developers had cordoned off the project site, but the scavengers defied the cordon, gained access to the site and started demolishing what was left of the buildings while searching for disused steel, wire and other materials to cart away.
“While the trapped scavengers have since been rescued and are now receiving medical attention, we are glad to announce that no life was lost in the incident,” he said.
He expressed worry that scavengers and other youths have been obstructing excavating machines at the site while searching for disused iron and other materials; while others have broken into shops and looted goods stored in them by traders.
“Just last week, the rubble also fell on some scavengers who sustained severe injuries as they went in search of disused materials in the active site.
“Recall that the committee had warned that the daily upsurge in the number of scavengers in the area is not only delaying the efforts of the developers to meet up with the December deadline set by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to deliver a modern market and hand over shops to all allottees, but that it also poses great danger to the scavengers and other unauthorised persons,” the statement read in part.
“Once again, the committee strongly advises parents to warn their children to keep off the project site as security agents have been placed on red alert to arrest and prosecute defaulters,” it added.
