Uvwie Council takes hard stance: Traders must leave Ekpan Roundabout for market square

What began as a bid to clear traffic and beautify Ekpan Roundabout has spiraled into a heated confrontation between roadside traders struggling to survive and local government authorities determined to enforce order. 

Pebnews Uncovers that Tension is brewing around Ekpan Roundabout in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State as evening roadside traders accuse local government authorities of harassment and destruction of their goods, following the council’s renewed enforcement drive to relocate them to the Ekpan Modern Market.

Reacting to the allegations, the Vice Chairman of Uvwie LGA, Hon. Andrew Agagbo, dismissed the claims, saying the council’s actions are part of a broader effort to restore order and protect lives.

PEBNEWS speaking with Agagbo, he said, the council, upon assumption of office on July 15, 2024, prioritized rebuilding and reopening the Ekpan Market, which had long been in a state of disrepair.

"When we came in, the market women complained that their shops were dilapidated and the market was not functional. We immediately took action,” he said.

"We built about 96 open and lock-up shops, provided water, solar lights, and security. Even the access road, which was impassable, was reconstructed and later expanded by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori after our appeal.”

Agagbo added that the market was commissioned by the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, in the presence of the traditional ruler (Umogu) of Ekpan, who warned traders against returning to the roundabout.

"We wrote to them several times, held meetings with community leaders, and gave repeated warnings. Yet, they defied all instructions. We even barricaded the place and mounted signs, but they tore them down. This is not about punishment  it’s about safety. That roundabout is the only one we have in Ekpan, and trading there poses serious accident risks,” Agagbo explained.

The Vice Chairman, who also heads the local task force enforcing the ban, maintained that the council will not relent in clearing the area.

"We have provided everything  roads, lights, and security at the new market. They can trade there even at night till 10 or 12 p.m. But they must vacate the roundabout,” he insisted.

However, some of the displaced traders told a different story.

According to Mrs. Oghale, a rice seller and mother of four, said survival is her only concern.
"My husband abandoned us. Selling food here in the evening is how I feed my children,” she said tearfully. “The new market is too small and expensive. I’m begging the local government to give us a space we can afford.”

Another trader, Mrs. Akpevwe, who sells tomatoes, lamented frequent harassment by touts who demand daily payments from them.

"Sometimes we sell under the rain. The market they built can’t contain us all, and customers who close from work buy from us here,” she said.

Similarly, Madam Favour, a foodstuff seller, claimed that many traders were displaced after the old wood market was sold and rebuilt into shops beyond their means.

"We don’t block the road. We just want to survive. But every evening, the task force and boys harass us and collect money,” she alleged. “We are not criminals. We only want to feed our families.”

commuters around the roundabout have shared mixed reactions to the council’s enforcement.

Mr. Ufuoma Oghene, a commercial tricycle rider, said the traders contribute to congestion and safety risks. “Honestly, that roundabout is always jam-packed in the evenings. Sometimes drivers can’t see clearly because of the traders’ umbrellas and tables,” he said. “The government is right to move them, but they should also provide a fair alternative.”

Another eyewitness, Mr. Kennedy Onojeta, a taxi driver, described frequent clashes between the traders and the task force. “Sometimes, the task force comes with thugs carrying sticks and even police and starts chasing them,” he said. “It causes confusion on the road. The traders scatter everywhere, and vehicles get blocked. It’s not safe for anyone.”

While the council insists its actions are to maintain safety and order, the traders argue that eviction without affordable alternatives is worsening their hardship. And asks the council to provide them with an alternative space at the Ekpan junction where they can be able to do their night trade effectively without distrusting road and tricycle activities.

As both sides dig in the authorities citing safety, and traders citing survival Ekpan Roundabout remains a flashpoint of tension between governance and grassroots struggle.