By Chuks Eke
Chairmen, Secretaries and Stakeholders of various Lines in Onitsha Main Market and other major markets in Onitsha have advised Governor Chukwuma Soludo not to listen to those they described as mischievous traders who are asking him to sack the President-General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Abuja and the Special Adviser, SPAD to the Governor on Trade and Markets, Chief Evarist Uba.
Reacting to some statements credited to some traders in the markets who are calling for the removal of the duo of Anuna and Uba which went viral in the social media, the Lines Chairmen, Secretaries and Stakeholders said those making such unwarranted calls, most of whom do not even have shops in the markets are those who the duo stopped from diverting Anambra State Government market revenue into their private pockets.
A chieftain in Ochanja market, Chief Nwabueze Umeh, (Ofia Afuluego) and several others from other major markets while passing a vote of confidence on the duo, maintained that the entire markets in Anambra State have not experienced the kind of peace and compliance to government policies and cooperation on IGR as the present Market administration spear headed by Chief Anuna and Hon Uba on the part of State Government have done.
According to Nwabueze, I read the publication online and it is a propaganda written by self centered people.Those talking of sack of PG and SPAD are talking rubbish. I am a stakeholder in the market and I give SPAD and PG vote of confidence.
“Anyone who is power drunk could be responsible for such a publication against SPAD and ASMATA PG because the person wants power by all means and whoever that wants power by all means can do anything to get it,” said Umeh.
“The name in that publication claiming to be a concerned trader in Ochanja market is not known to anyone”.
When asked that rumors had it that the Ochanja market Caretaker Chairman, Chief Bonaventure Muo was among those who originated the publication to sack the ASMATA PG and SPAD, Chief Umeh said that he cannot say for sure that Muo was part of the publication but added that the Muo he knows was capable of doing such because of the previous ugly experiences of blackmail he had suffered in the hands of Chief Muo.
“Muo has been blackmailing me and accusing me of embezzling market funds and setting ablaze the fuel tanker that caused fire disaster in Ochanja market some time ago. After such grievous allegations he would still come and apologize to me”.
“One who blackmails is capable of such publication against ASMATA PG and SPAD. There is no achievement in Muo leadership rather problems, for one year there was no power supply in Ochanja market”, alleged Umeh.
Nwabueze further advised ASMATA PG to always visit markets to hear the opinion of the traders against some caretaker chairmen and use his good office to caution them to serve as deterrent to other high-handed or erring market leaders. He said ASMATA PG and SPAD should assert their authorities properly as their predecessors did so that traders can have regard and respect for them at all times.
In a swift reaction, Chief Bonaventure Muo of Ochanja market stated “They are the opposition we have in our market, they even tell traders not to pay the new state government N30,000 stallage levy and that is why we are behind other markets like Bridge head, Ogbogwu, Main Market, and others”.
“It is the opposition that is calling for market election, they are the people who criticize any government policy in markets. We are the caretaker committee members they are indirectly asking government to sack. When they get into office they oppose government policies and programmes as their motive is to divert government revenues”.
“We are caretaker committee and I am not contesting any election position, these people are just talking nonsense, we don’t have problem with ASMATA PG and SPAD. They are not happy that the duo stopped them from causing market crisis and diverting government revenue to private pockets when they were in power and that prompted their publication against PG and SPAD,” Muo further disclosed.
In a related development, five Onitsha Main Market line chairmen, led by a former zone 1, chairman, Hon. Gibson I. Okafor, (a.k.a.Igwe Bida), after passing a vote of confidence on ASMATA PG and SPAD stated that the duo have been doing a good job in Anambra markets with utmost integrity and professionalism without fear or favor.
They said that those calling for their sack were people who are not given the opportunity to collect illegal levies in the markets because Governor Soludo was against multiple levies and collection of any revenue in cash but only through electronic payment.
They unanimously accused the incumbent caretaker committee chairman of Onitsha Main market, Chief Innocent Ezeoha of introducing illegal revenues in the market, alleging that he was the mastermind behind the call for sack publication.
To buttress their claim, they cited when SPAD stopped Ezeoha from collecting N2,000 enumeration levy from traders and from plan to collect another N3,000 from each trader for the renovation of the market White House secretariat saying that Ezeoha did the said publication in retaliation against SPAD.
The line chairmen in attendance included, Aloysius Maduegbunam, chairman police line, John Paul Udoji, chairman Optical line, Obidike, chairman lucky line and a stakeholder, Onyekachi Francis.
In their separate speeches they said, “Ezeoha collaborated with his stooges to do that publication. Those behind the publication who claim to control the market do not have control of the markets, we the line chairmen and Secretaries have control of the markets. Traders are known for gossip. SPAD and ASMATA PG are doing well. The duo cannot be bought over with money that is their grievances for such fallacious publication,” they stated.
On the call for market election they said that, “Whether elected or appointed what we want is good leadership. Onitsha Main Market has no good leadership and we want the government to sack the leadership. Ezeoha runs sole administration and should learn to operate in line with the market rules and regulations, In fact, he is the worst Chairman so far in the main market,” they further added.
In a swift reaction when contacted, the Main market chairman, Ezeoha who denied all the allegations they leveled against him, told newsmen on phone that the team and their leader, Okafor, are the major problems of Onitsha Main Market and should be held responsible for the said publication.
“They have their major sponsor with the alias, ‘Ken Bigger,’ and they are distabilizing the market to sack me. They did the publication calling for removal of SPAD and ASMATA PG. I can’t be accusing the government that I am serving”.
“Okafor who is called Igwe Bida vowed that if I am not removed that he will make sure that SPAD and PG are sacked, he said it in our meeting and is on record. They are the ones fighting government. They are the ones that oppose government policies and programs and calls for election instead of caretaker.
“They are attacking me because I refused to join them in attacking government. On the N2,000 enumeration levy, Government is aware of it through SPAD and SPAD has told them that it is legal but they did not relate to the traders what SPAD told them rather they presented a different picture to it,” he disclosed.
A Chieftain at Ogbaru Relief, (Main) market, Chief David Obidike, in his reaction to the publication stated that, ” SPAD and ASMATA PG have not done anything wrong in piloting the affairs of the traders that will warrant the said publication. I was shocked to the marrow when I saw the publication online because Governor Soludo, through these two people restored the lost glory of markets in the state.
“”We are on ground to ensure Soludo is returned for second tenure and he is unstoppable because of his gigantic strides in the state. Enemies are at work but it will not happen. Conduct of market election is good but it has to be done at a time very convenient for the state Government,” he posited.
