Itam Market and what makes it thick BY JOY BASSEY

 

There has been a tremendous pool of commerce in Itam Market in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.  Over the past, it has become a huge market in South- South Nigeria as sellers and buyers across this geographical zone converge therein to buy or sell their wares.

History has it that the market started as a small outlet, providing commercial opportunities for people around Uyo and its environs. As the State was made independent of the old Cross River State, efforts were made to give the market an international standing especially, by the Akpabio led government who saw the need to rebuild the market and provide it with basics social amenities like the police station, banks, conveniences and car parks, to enhance commercial activities.

With these developments, there has been a boom in the market. Another advantage it enjoys is that it is strategically located in the heart of Uyo, making it very easy for people to access. The manufacturing capability of businessmen from South-Eastern Nigeria has also enhanced commerce in the market as it serves as a gateway for products and services to be made available to people.
It is important to note that the market has a unique day for business. On that day, people who are regular to the market come to transact business. Although the market carries out transaction on other days, the volume of business is not much as it is on the specified market day.

The State Government has saddled the various ministries and agencies concerned, with the responsibility of catering for issues of sanitation, unauthorised parking and selling of items in restricted areas. This step which is needful has helped to curb some of the many challenges that are characteristic of a commercial business place. The market, ‘Itam International Market’ is really living up to its name as most exporters have found the market a good place to buy essential export products to generate foreign exchange. This is so because the local producers of these commodities do not really have a clear-cut knowledge about how to exchange their wares for cash in the foreign market and this has gone a long way in broadcasting Nigeria’s foreign exchange thereby, increasing Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
Itam International Market has also opened windows for robust employment opportunities for young persons in the State and beyond, directly and indirectly. Given the infrastructural renaissance of the Akpabio led government, the market now comfortably fit into the Uyo Capital City master plan. The prominence of the market around the geopolitical zone and beyond cannot be over emphasized as more and more people are increasingly knowing about the market through patronage by people from this area. Traders and buyers come as far as Eket, Ibeno, Ukanafun, Oron, Ibesikpo, Akamkpa, Odukpani, Aba, Onitsha and other distant places to share in the exchange of commercial activities especially on market days. The people of Itam hold the market dear and are quite receptive to visitors from different parts of the country who come to the market for economic activities and are thankful to the Akpabio’s government. The evolving nature of this market shows that a market with so small a beginning can blossom into a world class market in no time.

Bassey Etim, an indigene of Itam and a trader at the Market says: “we are appreciative of the enormous efforts made by this government to give a facelift to this market as it has helped our people to be productive”.

It is a fact that Yams, Goats, Onions and Beans are brought in large quantities by traders from the Northern part of Nigeria to the market for sale to the teeming consumers in the South-South. Beyond generating huge financial gains to the traders, it has also motivated national cohesion through social and economic interactions. Marriages have been contracted in the process, thereby helping in projecting Nigeria’s unity.

One of the progressive markets in Nigeria is Itam International Market where commerce is made easy sequel to the enabling environment provided by the Akwa Ibom State Government for it to thrive. It is heart warming to note that in this market, many young persons are made to undergo tutelage with older traders after which they are settled and helped to start their own business by their masters. Perhaps the biggest influence to this practice is the fact that one can find many traders from the South-East, trading in this market and this practice is well known to Igbo traders who have well influenced traders from Akwa Ibom to adopt this practice which is greatly helping to checkmate the rising rate of unemployment. Young persons therefore are helped to shun social vices that are prevalent in the society. There is need for government at all levels to encourage such traders by assisting the trained traders with the needed financial support to serve as take-off fund in support of their own businesses. This will not only boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but will improve upon Nigeria’s per capita income.

However, there’s a quest for those managing the market to continue in, and improve on the high governing standards of the market to allow for a robust commercial and economic progress within this region. There’s also a need to seriously work on the drainage system around the market owing to the fact that Uyo is within the rainforest zone and is prone to being over flooded during the raining season.
One risk imminent of a five-star market like Itam is the risk of fire outbreak which is a recurring decimal in similar markets. There should be provisions for fire extinguishers which should be placed at strategic locations within the market or a mini-fire station around the market to prevent a possible fire outbreak.
The issue of vigilante groups springing up to protect the facility would not be a bad idea since this is a major employment source for many. The government on the other hand should not rest, but should constantly think of other ways of maintaining and improving facilities within the market.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has been partnering the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to sensitise drivers, traders and other citizens of the best practices in road usage. This has resulted in the presence of the motor park attached to this market to ease the conveyance of persons and goods. The police and the Civil Defence Corps have also been on regular patrols to the market to wade off criminals thereby, ensuring the protection of lives and property asides the effort of the police station around the market.

Security is a vital need in an environment of this kind given the usage of cash for transactions up until Nigerians are fully enlightened of the e-banking system where the use of cash is reduced to the barest minimum. The serene environment provided by this market is something to write home about. One only hopes that the massive infrastructure put in by the government will be sustained by the users of this market.

The presence of a flyover around the market vicinity has helped in many ways to decongest traffic around the market, unlike what is experienced in similar markets around the country. It is so serene that one will not even feel the presence of a market around the adjourning roads of Calabar-Itu, Uyo-Ikot Ekpene and Uyo-Etinan roads, respectively because of the proper management of the traffic situation. The flyover at Itam also provides a business atmosphere. People take photographs around the place, courtesy of the lightenings provided by government. The core intent of government, I suppose is to provide an extraordinary environment for Itam International Market so that it becomes a reference point for other markets around the country. This is already being achieved as more and more people around the country are patronizing the market for various needs. Government must also see the need to project more of the market’s potentials to Nigerians through aggressive advertisement in the local, national and international media. This will surely pay back by way of increasing revenue for the government through taxes and other levies.

Another exciting feature is the fact that cooperative alliances are enhanced among traders in this market as they regularly contribute funds to a purse which they draw from in a democratic manner. This has helped in many ways to sustain businesses, settle financial challenges like rent, school fees, debts etc. the cooperative societies differs and is not made mandatory for traders to join or abominable to withdraw provided such a person is not in any way indebted to the cooperative society. There is also the presence of small contribution outfits which are either registered by the government or known to Itam Market committee. These persons go round at a given time and collect sums of money depending on a contributor’s ability, save them and give them back to their owners bi-weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
Many commercial banks have also taken advantage of the massive potentials in Itam Market, by making their presence felt in areas like giving out loans and helping in the transportation of money to the bank. This has helped in checking the risk of huge cash movement by traders to the advantage of armed robbers or other sinister groups like 419 syndicates popularly known as “utoto”.

The Itam community are not in any way interfering in the affairs of the market as it is fully managed by government, unlike in some other markets where you hear of the host community dragging the plots of land allotted to the market thereby bringing conflict to the trading community. The story is not so for Itam Internal Market as Efeffiong Edet, a member of the market management committee puts it: “we are in no way threatened by the host community, there is no conflict of any kind and the traders are happy for it. He went further to say “We are calling on the host community to maintain the tempo and support the government to even improve on the facilities there”.

It is also very important to observe that the public convenience in this market deserves applause. The market committee has employed the services of able cleaners who are up and doing to ensure that the place is kept tidy.

Items sold in this market include food condiments, clothings, raw materials, cosmetics, electronics, mechanicals, building materials etc. There is practically nothing one would not find in this market especially on the specified market days.

There is an impressive parking system around the market which was not available when the market first started. But with the massive infrastructural effort put in by the Chief Godswill Akpabio’s administration, the traffic around the market can easily be controlled now,.
The market also has its turn-offs notwithstanding, traders have often decried low patronage experienced as a result of poor patronage from core civil servants who are not quickly paid most times. Traders of food items who exchanged their views said, they had not been making any brisk business unlike other months were salaries were paid.

A trader who gave her name as Eka Iquo narrated “most of our customers are government workers; they complain that they have not been paid. In fact, I was so shocked when I heard from one aunty that the much publicised Akpabiomber was since stopped. “We sold some food items on credit to some of them who are credit-worthy and reliable to pay when they receive their salaries. It’s pathetic”.

Another bad experience people complain to have in Itam market is the issue of stolen items. Customers complain that during the rush of bending down to select clothes, pick-pockets proceed to steal either their monies/phones or wallets. And nothing can relay be done about it. All the time, when you forget your property in the process of buying and come back to claim it, somebody else would have picked it up.

Customers who were interviewed also complained of the fact that it rains so much on Itam market days. It’s only on very rare occasions that it does not rain, and this makes the market very muddy and wet.
It is believed that this piece will go a long way in projecting the aesthetics of the Itam Market Community, awaken the government on areas which should be improved on and engender citizens to explore the potentials provided by the market.