Fubara Targets January 2027 for Creek Road Market Completion, Moves to End Street Trading

By Katherine Abayomi

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has set January 2027 as the completion target for the Creek Road Market, a project expected to relocate traders and clear the road for resurfacing in Port Harcourt’s Old Township.

The governor gave the assurance on Friday, October 23, 2026, during an inspection of the project. He said the visit followed a meeting with SETRACO, the firm resurfacing roads in the Old Port Harcourt Township. The company identified street trading along the Creek Road axis as a major obstacle to its work.

Fubara noted that traders had occupied significant portions of the road, hindering rehabilitation. Relocating them to the new market, he said, would clear the road and support completion of the resurfacing work.

Despite construction challenges, the governor commended the contractor for the quality of work delivered. He said the first phase would provide about 700 stalls and shops across wet and dry sections, accommodating many women currently trading along Creek Road.

Fubara assured the contractor that the state government would meet its obligations and address funding concerns to prevent delays and ensure completion on schedule.

He said the market was designed to provide a suitable trading environment while restoring order, cleanliness and dignity to the Old Port Harcourt Township, home to many elderly residents and the city’s indigenous population.

The governor warned that uncontrolled street trading, overcrowding and poor sanitation posed serious environmental and public health risks. Creek Road and adjoining streets, he said, had become open markets, making an organised and hygienic alternative necessary.

Fubara reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of Rivers residents, saying the project would help restore the Old Port Harcourt Township to its cherished status as a clean, orderly and accessible urban centre.