The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) has commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for initiating the on-going demolition and remodeling of the Onitsha Main Market, describing the move as a bold and visionary step toward restoring the apparent lost glory of the commercial community.
Chinedu Nwonu, President of the the chamber in Onitsha, Anambra state on Sunday in Onitsha, Anambra state expressed full support for the modernization project, noting that the market, widely regarded as the largest in West Africa, had long suffered from congestion, unauthorized encroachments and infrastructural decay.
According to him, the remodeling exercise which began late February, 2026, is aimed at providing modern facilities such as adequate vehicular parking, proper fire-fighting equipment, CCTV surveillance, improved ventilation and enhanced security posts to create a safer and more convenient shopping environment.
However, the chamber worrisomely voiced deep concern over the hardship likely to be faced by traders and shop owners whose structures, including individual shops and plazas, were affected by the demolition.
Nwonu lamented that many investors who purchased spaces in good faith had now suffered significant financial losses, emotional distress and disruption to their livelihoods.
He particularly criticized past administrations for allegedly permitting the fragmentation and sale of public spaces originally designated for parks, roads and open areas, thereby compounding the present crisis.
While reiterating its support for the government’s objective, he urged the Anambra state government to institute a transparent compensation framework for genuinely affected traders, provide alternative trading spaces during the remodeling phase, and engage stakeholders in inclusive planning.
The president also called for free stall allocations in other markets within the zone or provide structured payment plans with a two-year moratorium to ease traders’ burdens, alongside legislation to criminalize future encroachments on public market spaces.
He further advocated full autonomy for markets to elect their leaders, in order to end what he described as the practice of appointing caretaker committees and political affiliates.
Nwonu pledged the chamber’s readiness to collaborate with the government and stakeholders to ensure a humane and equitable transformation process that would ultimately boost revenue and secure a prosperous future for Onitsha and Anambra state.
