Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has threatened to dethrone traditional rulers selling employments meant for their subjects.
The governor ordered the demolition of illegal market along the Elele Alimini and Ahoada axis of the East-West Road.
He directed everybody engaged in illegal activities in the area to quit because all structures in the marked places would be demolished from June 9.
The governor gave the warning on Tuesday during the inauguration of construction work at the Ahoada Campus of Rivers State University, and the dualisation of Ahoada- Omoku Road in Ahoada town.
He said: “Let me tell you, the state government has not authorised any market from that Ahoada Junction on East-West Road, keeping to your right and going back to Port Harcourt. The structures there are illegal.
“It doesn’t matter who owns them. Whether you come from the South, East, West or North, if you have any of those illegal market structures, from that junction down to Elele Alimini, I’ll bring all of them down.
“I did not authorise any market and nobody can build market on the road. Not even a local government can do that. So, all of you who have been going to them to collect tolls from them, be prepared. No market must be on the East-West Road.”
Wike also told trespassers, who built private apartments within the Western Ahaoda County High School, Ahoada to await the demolition team from the state government.
He said: “I have warned you several times and most of you think that nothing will happen. From next Wednesday, anybody that has private residence built within the Western Ahoada County High School, I will bring it down. The land belongs to the government and we will not pay any compensation.”
The governor described as shameful, the reports of some traditional rulers selling employment chances meant for their subjects to satisfy their selfish interests.
He said: “I cannot bring development to this place and criminality will be on the increase. We want companies to come to Ahoada, but how will you get employment without companies?
“Everyday, you cry of unemployment when the few companies that have come, you’ll not allow them to stay. You and your traditional rulers will chase them away with your demands.
“You even sell chances of employing your own people. Woe betide that traditional ruler that I will catch one day, that is selling what belongs to (his) your people because you want to collect money, I will dethrone that traditional ruler that day.