The Imo state government yesterday said that the demolished uncompleted building at the Eke ukwu market in Owerri, was neither a hospital nor a shopping mall as claimed by supporters of former governor, Rochas Okorocha.
The commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Simon Ebegbulem, spoke in Owerri, adding that it was a carcass and a hide out for criminals, and that it was not serving any purpose to the people.
He added that the demolition had given way for the construction of a modern market of 1,850 buildings to begin immediately to boost the economic activities of the state.
According to Ebegbulem, “I am surprised when they were mentioning hospital there was no hospital and there was no shopping mall nothing there to show that it’s a shopping mall or Hospital.
“When we got there, that place has been converted to something else to tell you that there was nothing like a hospital nor even a mall. It became a public toilet and it became a hide out for criminals. It became a place where all sort of evil things are planned and executed.
“As a result of that, the people of Owerri Nchi Ise, kept on lamenting due to the increase in criminal activities coming from that so called building.”
He continued: “The state government in an agreement with the Owerri people decided to build a modern market for the Owerri people whose ancestral market had been demolished by Okorocha as well as to boost the economic activities of the state.
“The day the governor Hope Uzodimma, did a ground breaking ceremony of that market it was like a carnival, you see traditional rulers and their subjects from the zone came out and were happy and excited. So there was nothing like hospital or shopping mall as the cronies of Okorocha, have been saying.”
Vanguard
