By Solomon OKPO
The Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) has intensified efforts to rid the Uyo City Plaza of illegal street trading, following persistent defiance by traders who have turned the iconic space into a bustling, unregulated marketplace.
Despite multiple warnings and a government ban on street trading and unauthorized display of wares, many vendors continue to occupy the area, disrupting public order and diminishing the aesthetics of the capital city.
In a renewed enforcement drive earlier today, UCCDA officials cleared illegal trading spots around the city plaza in a bid to restore order. Chairman of the agency, Hon. Anietie Eka, who led the operation, decried the level of non-compliance by the traders.
“We gave them a grace period to vacate the plaza, but they’ve refused to comply,” Hon. Eka stated. “We have now resumed our clearance operations, and we will not stop until Uyo reflects the dignity of a true capital city. Let this serve as a final warning to all roadside traders.”
He reiterated that the plaza is not a market and encouraged traders to relocate to designated market spaces within the city.
The action forms part of UCCDA’s broader initiative to sanitize the city and reclaim public spaces for their intended purpose, thereby enhancing the beauty, orderliness, and functionality of Uyo.
