Fayemi shuts market commissioned by Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has ordered the closure of the new Oja Oba market built by his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose over alleged structural defects.

A part of  the new market had been allocated by the former governor before leaving the office in October. But Fayemi said those to who shops have been allocated will be refunded by the government.

“A structural evaluation of the complex shows that some considerable construction work would be required to fix the inherent structural defects which have made the building unsafe for use,” Fayemi’s spokesman Olayinka Oyebode said in a statement on Thursday.

“As this process would take some time, the Governor has therefore directed that the process of allocation of shops be stopped immediately,” he added.

But Fayose before leaving office on October 11 urged “Fayemi to deploy the N327 million kept in bank by his administration to complete the new Oja Oba market for the use of Ekiti traders.”

However, the state governor said it discovered during an inspection that the market complex was not ready for use because of structural defects.

“The Governor also directed that all subscribers with proofs of payment for shops in the market should be refunded,” Oyebode said.

He, therefore, stated that “the Ministries of Works and Commerce are to work out a seamless process for the refund.”