By Mokobia Rita
OZORO/Nigeria: A new commercial facility capable of accommodating hundreds of traders has been commissioned in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori saying the investment is intended to strengthen local commerce and create more opportunities for residents.
The governor, represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, commissioned the Ozoro Ultra Modern Market on Thursday and said the project was part of his administration’s efforts to provide infrastructure that could support businesses and stimulate economic activities at the grassroots.
Oborevwori said the market was designed to provide traders and entrepreneurs with a more organised environment in which to operate, adding that its impact should extend beyond trading to employment generation, improved livelihoods and increased economic activity in the area.
He urged traders and other users of the facility to protect the infrastructure and ensure that the market remained functional, warning that the sustainability of the investment would depend partly on how responsibly it was used and maintained.
The governor said Ozoro’s long-standing position as a commercial centre made it an appropriate location for the facility, while describing the project as an investment in the entrepreneurial capacity of the Isoko people.
According to him, the Isoko people have made notable contributions to commerce, agriculture and public service, adding that the new market would provide additional space for traders, artisans and business owners to expand their activities.
The facility has 28 lock-up shops and 192 open shops, as well as eight upstairs packing stores, a warehouse, a cold room, four administrative offices and a market hall.
It also includes two security posts, separate male and female toilet facilities, a central water scheme, external interlocking and horticultural works.
Oborevwori said the project also reflected the administration’s policy of completing projects that were initiated to serve the public, describing the market as part of efforts to create an enabling environment for businesses across Delta State.
He said the facility would support small and medium-scale enterprises while improving the capacity of Ozoro to serve traders and customers from neighbouring communities.
“This market symbolises the vibrant spirit of entrepreneurship, enterprise and community that has long defined the people of Ozoro and the wider Isoko Nation,” the governor said.
The Chairman of Isoko North Local Government Council, Elder Godwin Ogorugba, described the project as an example of continuity in governance, saying the facility would provide a better setting for commercial activities.
Ogorugba said the market was expected to create employment opportunities, stimulate business activity, improve internally generated revenue and contribute to better living conditions for residents.
For the President-General of Ozoro Kingdom, Chief Berkley Eloviano, the project represented a significant investment in the economic future of the community.
He said the market would contribute to the growth of Ozoro by providing traders with facilities capable of supporting their businesses and improving the commercial environment.
The Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Hon. Samuel Oligida, said the market would serve not only residents of Ozoro but also traders and customers from surrounding communities.
He described the facility as an important platform for expanding commercial activities and supporting entrepreneurs within the Isoko North axis.
Also speaking, the member representing the Isoko Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko, Comrade Ovuozorie Macauley and the President of Market Women, Ozoro Kingdom, Mrs. Charity Awoh, commended the state government for providing the facility.
They appealed to traders and residents to protect the market from vandalism and ensure that the infrastructure was properly maintained for the benefit of the community.
The commissioning also featured a private intervention for traders, with businessman Engr. Omoyibo Daniel providing N200,000 each to 250 market women, bringing the total value of the support to N50 million.
The beneficiaries were urged to make productive use of the assistance as they settle into the new trading environment.
Oborevwori said the ultimate value of the project would be measured by its ability to improve livelihoods, encourage enterprise and expand economic opportunities in Ozoro and its surrounding communities.
The governor therefore called on stakeholders to collectively safeguard the facility and use it to promote legitimate business, peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity.
