FCTA reopens Garki International Market

Article summary

• FG warns that it will not hesitate to close the market again if it fails sanitation tests.
• The market was sealed for five days by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) after they got a court verdict on the market.
• FG says it will continue to monitor the market as we do in all markets in the FCT, all plazas, and all schools, to make sure that they are safe for their patrons

The Nigerian Government announced the reopening of the Garki International Market, which was closed last week over poor hygiene and sanitation.

This was disclosed in a press statement by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday.

Mr. Ikharo Attah, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring Inspection and Enforcement, reopened the market after the inspection of its sanitary condition.

Satisfaction

Attah said he is satisfied with the management and traders of the market for swinging into action, warning that the administration would not hesitate to seal up the market again if the management and traders’ relapse in its plan for sanitation, he added:

• “Garki international market has been sealed for five days by the gallant team of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB)that got a court verdict to the market.
• “The decision to close the market was necessitated by the extreme and provocative nature of dirt in it.
• “When we came in here on Tuesday, we discovered that the work done was not very impressive and the Director of AEPB went back with his team and held a high-powered meeting with Market Management Limited (MML).
• “What we are seeing now is very encouraging, and that is the reason why the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has approved the reopening of the market.”

Proper Condition

Director of AEPB, Braimah Osilama said the market now is in a proper condition for business, so following the directive of the minister, adding:

• “We will continue to monitor the market as we do in all markets in the FCT, all plazas, all schools, to make sure that they are safe for their patrons.

Backstory

Recall Nairametrics reported last week that Abuja’s Garki International Market was sealed up by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

The AEPB cited hygiene and environmental issues as causes for the closure, warning about a possible epidemic outbreak due to the accumulation of poorly disposed refuse.

Director AEPB, Mr. Osi Braimah, condemned the breakdown of law and order in the market, stating that an abatement notice was served, adding that the AEPB’s environmental officers in carrying out their routine/monitoring activities by April 26, discovered that the market was in bad shape, also noting the nonchalant attitude the market administrators which forced AEPB to seek a court order to seal the market, he added:

• “Solid wastes, cabbages all over the place, bleeding sewage lines and heaps of refuse dumps were all over the market.
• “We served them an abatement notice unfortunately nothing was done