Fubara says Creek Road market's first phase will give 700 shops by January 2027
- Governor Siminalayi Fubara inspected the Creek Road Market rebuild in Old Port Harcourt Township on Friday.
- He said about 700 shops in the first phase will house traders now selling on the road.
- The contractor has promised delivery by the end of January 2027, the governor said.
Traders who now sell along Creek Road in Old Port Harcourt Township may soon have proper shops, after Governor Siminalayi Fubara said the first phase of the rebuilt Creek Road Market will provide about 700 shops.
Fubara spoke on Friday during an inspection of the ongoing project, according to Channels TV and Tribune. He said he was satisfied with the quality and pace of the work.
The shops will serve traders selling wet and dry goods, with most of them expected to be women who currently trade along Creek Road and nearby streets.
“With 700 shops, it is clear that our women that are trading along the Creek Road will be relocated, and we’ll have freer access along the road,” the governor said.
Why the road matters
According to Tribune, Fubara held a meeting with SETRACO, the construction firm resurfacing roads in the old Port Harcourt Township. The governor said the firm had identified the Creek Road axis as a major obstacle, because traders had taken over much of the road.
Moving the traders into the market is meant to let the contractor finish the road work. Fubara said clearing the road would also free traffic and tidy up the area.
He described Old Port Harcourt Township as a historic part of the city, home to elderly residents and the original inhabitants, whom he called the “Aborigines”. He said street trading had spread from Creek Road to other roads in the township, and that overcrowding and poor sanitation could expose residents to health risks.
The governor assured the contractor that the state would meet its obligations, including addressing funding concerns the firm raised, so the work stays on schedule.
What happens next
The contractor has promised to deliver the first phase by the end of January 2027, Fubara said. The market is part of his administration’s urban renewal push to improve trading, ease movement and keep Port Harcourt cleaner.
For the women selling by the roadside, the shops would mean a fixed stall and shelter from the weather. For other residents, the expected gain is a clearer Creek Road and an end to the daily snarl in the township.
