. BoT can’t impose decisions on government-owned market – Commissioner
By CHUKS EKE
The Joint Session of Leaders of Thought and Stakeholders of the Onitsha Bridge-head market traders association in Anambra state have lampooned the state Commissioner of Trade and Commerce, Hon. Uchenna Okafor (Wiper) for being bias in the appointment of a new caretaker committee for the market leadership.
They also accused the commissioner of allegedly disobeying various court orders with impunity as regards the election of Mr. Sunday Obinze as Chairman of the Bridge-head Markets Traders Association, BHMTA and the consequent nullification of his purported election by a court of competent jurisdiction.
In a seven-paragraph petition to Governor Willie Obiano, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Onitsha, the Joint Leaders of Thought and Stakeholders recalled that Justice D. A. Onyefulu of Onitsha High Court No. 3 had made an order stopping an election of new executive of the market on April 16, 2019 but the Commissioner ignored the order and went ahead to conduct an election which brought Obinze into the office as Chairman of BHMTA.
In the petition jointly signed by their Chairman and Secretary, Chief Bonaventure Ucheagwu and Sir Peter Okala, the Leaders of Thought and Stakeholders further recalled that when the same court eventually nullified the election of Obinze and his executive on February 4, this year, Commissioner Okafor on Friday, February 19, 2021, in utter disregard to all known norms, rules and grand judicial processes, issued an appointment letter to the same Obinze and his executive as care-taker committee members of the same Bridge-head market.
They also recalled that upon the nullification of Obinze’s election, the Board of Trustees of the market led by Hon. Emeka Ilonze as its Chairman and Chukwudi Ekwueme as its Secretary who they said are the legal owners of the market had approved the appointment of neutral and capable persons to manage the market association, pending the determination of the substantive suit and the conduct of all encompassing general election of a new executive but Okafor refused and instead issued an appointment letter to Obinze and his executive as caretaker committee of the market when their April, 2019 election had just been nullified by the court.
They therefore urged Governor Obiano to intervene and call Okafor to order before he goes out of his way to dance naked in the market.
However, in a swift reaction, Commissioner Okafor, through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Ike Samuel Chinedu Esq., described the Bridge-head market as a state-owned market, adding that government has the sole right to administer and manage the market.
According to the Commissioner in a letter signed on his behalf by Ike Esq., “Clarification on the stand of the state government as regards the Onitsha Bridge-head market”, the Bridge-head market traders association, Onitsha Board of Trustees, BoT cannot therefore direct the state government on how to manage and administer or the person(s) to be appointed as care taker committee member(s) to administer the market.
On the suggestion of BoT members on who to appoint as caretaker members, the Commissioner insisted that for the avoidance of doubt, Hon. Emeka Ilonze and Chief Chukwudi Ekwueme who parade themselves as the Chairman and Secretary of BoT members of the BHMTA, Onitsha both resigned their positions as BoT members via their letters dated December 14, 2012 to contest an election of the market leadership.
Okafor added that in as much as they lost the election for which they resigned their positions as Chairman and Secretary of BoT, their resignations still subsists as they have not been reappointed as BoT members, adding that it is quite unfortunate that they are using these same positions to deceive people and ferment trouble in the market.
Insisting that the state government did not take over the duties of the BoT, government’s sole concern is to ensure the smooth administration of the Bridge-head market to avoid anarchy and further breakdown of law and order in the market.
“The state government did not proscribe BHMTA. In as much as the association is at liberty to run their affairs but it cannot impose their decision on the state government.The Order made by Justice D. A. Onyefulu on February 4, 2021 was not disobeyed by the state government and the Hon. Commissioner for Trade and Commerce”.
“The state government acted immediately it became aware of the court order nullifying the election of the association conducted om May 28, 2019 by dissolving the executives elected on the said date”.
“The said order of court did not name person (s) to be appointed or not to be appointed as caretaker committee members. The order of the court was obeyed by state government to the later. The state has the right to appoint whoever it pleases to be the caretaker committee member (s) for the Bridge-head market, Onitsha”.
“We hope that by this letter, we have been able to the allegations leveled on the state government and the Hon. Commissioner for Trade and Commerce. We therefore advise all the Bridge-head market traders to work hand in hand with caretaker committee members to ensure the progress of the market and the state as we await the final decision of the court in Suit No. 0/36/2019 pending before Justice Onyefulu sitting at the High Court of Justice, Onitsha.
