From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Commercial banks, motor parks and other business ventures located beside Ogbete main market, the Holy Ghost Cathedral and the Nigerian railway crossing have gone down for the construction of a modern terminal station, the first of it’s kind in Enugu state initiated by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.
They were pulled down seven months after the state government gave them notice to vacate their businesses from the area to pave way for the modern terminal station project.
In the past seven days, the structures accommodating several business enterprises in the area has been reduced to debris by earth moving equipments of the contractor handling the project.
However, the destruction was done with a human face. The Enugu state commissioner for transport, Dr ObIozor who conducted news men round the site on Saturday,May 11,disclosed that all the business owners who submitted their account details were paid compensation through the management of Nigeria railway cooperation,the landlord of the site..
He said those who are yet complete the process will also be treated same when they are true, as Governor Mbah is keeping to his words on paying compensation.
Dr Obiozor revealed that the affected transport companies will also be given the option of ‘first refusal’ when the Ogbete terminal station is completed,hopefully in the next twelve months.
As a measure of easing traffic grid lock,economic expansion and job creation etc,the Enugu state government plans to also construct terminal stations at Gariki Awkunanaw and Abakpa Nike axis of the metropolis in the first phase. While Nsukka town, Oji River etc will come in the second phase.
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