Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, says the Creek Road Market under construction in Port Harcourt will be ready by January 2027.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance on Friday, October 23, 2026, during an inspection tour of the project site.
The Governor said the inspection became necessary after a meeting with SETRACO, the construction firm handling the resurfacing of roads in the Old Port Harcourt Township.
According to him, SETRACO had complained that traders who have taken over Creek Road were hindering its work.
“SETRACO identified the Creek Road axis as a major cause of delay in its road rehabilitation works. Street traders have virtually taken over the road, making it impossible for the contractor to work,” Fubara said.
He explained that relocating the traders to the new market is the only way to free the road for resurfacing to be completed.
Governor Fubara expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work at the site, despite initial challenges, and commended the contractor.
He disclosed that the first phase of the market will have about 700 stalls and shops, comprising both wet and dry sections, to accommodate most of the women currently trading along the road.
“This is sufficient to accommodate most of the women trading along Creek Road and ultimately restore free flow of traffic,” he noted.
The Governor assured the contractor that the state government would fulfill its own part of the agreement, including addressing funding concerns, to ensure timely completion.
Fubara said the project is beyond providing trading spaces, as it seeks to restore sanity and a healthy environment in the Old Port Harcourt Township.
He described the area as home to many elderly people and aborigines of the city, lamenting that the collapse of the old market forced traders onto the streets.
“The situation of trading along the streets could create serious environmental and health hazards. Many diseases are caused by overcrowding, dirt and uncleanliness,” he said.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of Rivers people, saying he was happy as both leader of the government and an indigene to see a project that would return Old Port Harcourt to its status as a clean and orderly city.
