The Evangelist News edition Friday December 29, 2023. By Unwana Assam
The owner of one of the popular and long-standing hotels, Alice Benson Hotel, located at Johnson Street, Uyo, has cried out to government over the incessant obstruction of his Hotel entrance by the market women who have abandoned the space created for them at the Akpan Andem market, to spread their wares on the main road, thereby causing avoidable traffic and sabotaging his hospitality business.
According to Mr. Ifiok Akpan, who lamented to this reporter over the sudden infiltration of his Hotel premises by the market women, “Since this road was tarred and commissioned by Governor Umo Eno, the women left the main market and spread their goods to the point of blocking the entrance of my hotel.
“I have reported severally to Akpan Andem market authority, yet nothing is done about it. After I made several attempts to stop the women from sitting in front of my hotel to sell their stuff, I discovered that the market women pay dues every month and year to them which is why they lack the willpower to remove the women from here. Sometimes, when I drive to enter the hotel or a customer drives in, the entrance of my hotel is blocked with their wares”, Mr. Akpan narrated his ordeal.
Akpan further stated that he had ceased their goods and asked them to evacuate their stuff from my hotel, the next day, they would come again and even in larger numbers. “There is nothing I have not done to stop these women from leaving their market and coming here to sell. We have tried to cease their goods and that won’t still stop them. Sometimes, a customer will come but won’t see where to drive in. I am tired and frustrated as these people are killing and sabotaging my business”, he said.
Mr Ifiok, who is at this point, helpless and confused, therefore, appealed to the Akwa Ibom State Government through the relevant agencies to come to his rescue by evacuating the women from his business premises.
“Although I have written to the government to come and help me, I am still appealing to Governor Umo Eno, the Chairman of Uyo City Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA), Hon. Anietie Eka, and other related government agencies to come and help me as it is only them who can order these women to stop barricading the main road with their goods and causing a nuisance as they are also defacing the newly tarred and commissioned road”, the Hotel owner appealed.
Curious to know the reason why the market women, despite their awareness of adequate space inside the market for them to go in and sell their stuff, yet, decided to sell on the main road, and block the whole entrance of someone’s hotel, as well as obstructing vehicular movements, this reporter approached some of the women and asked to hear their reasons. According to them, “We pay dues every month to the market authority. We pay N150 every month and some people pay N1000 only for a year, that is why they do not disturb us from sitting here to sell. We can’t leave here because after paying them, we must sell to recover our money”.
