– Ochiogu, Ogbaru main market boss
By Chuks Eke
Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu, President of Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association, has attributed gift of God as major source his strength in the stoppage of burglaries, flooding and fire incidents inside the market premises.
He recalled that prior to his election as the market leader, he had given a firm promise that he was going to stop burglaries, flooding and fire incidents in the market which were rampant by then, adding that with a special gift of God and other strategies which cannot be mentioned for security reasons, he has been able to achieve that feet.
Ochiogu who spoke to newsmen in his office at the market Secretariat, Okpoko, said before the advent of his incumbent executive, peoples’ shops were being burgled and goods worth millions of naira stolen at short intervals just as flood ravaged shops during rainy seasons.
He noted that like wise, fire incidents became a recurring decimal but on assumption of office, he confronted these ugly trends with every amount of seriousness they require and succeeded in finding a permanent solution to these menace.
According to Ochiogu, “security is secret and not discussed in the open. But I must emphasize that I have done a lot to protect this market from monumental losses arising from burglary, flood and inferno”.
“For instance, fire fighting is a part of security and I have procurred over 500 pieces of six kilogramnes of fire extinguishers, launched 25 and 50 kilogramnes of fire extinguishers to support the over 500 pieces of six kilogramnes and ensure fortification of the market against fire disasters”.
“In addition, the market leader continued, I sunk water borehole and reticulated water in major lines and other places where water is not flowing inside the market to ensure a fire free environment”.
“I took so many steps to maintain adequate security in the market. One of them is to equip our security operatives and pay their salaries regularly, even to the extent of paying them three months in advance. It is not a case of whether we have money or not. At end of the month, if the market does not have money, I will use my personal money to ensure that they receive their salaries”.
“I equally tutored them to be civil to the traders and not to be rude. We ensured that the relationship between the operatives and the traders are always cordial”.
“On electricity, we have conluded arrangements to offset the outstanding debt of N11 million owed to EEDC by my predecessors to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the market. We have equally installed solar energy in all noojs and crannies of the market to the extent that once it is 7 p.m., we put them on till date”.
“We have completed our modern toilet facilities since December, 2024 and put it into use but we are hoping that Anambra state government will soon do the official commission of the facilities as soon as possible”.
He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for all his development strategies and urged him not to listen to sychophants and bad advisers who might be telling him all sorts of lies against one another for their own selfish interests but rather investigate such uttersnces against any one discreetly before drawing to a conclusion.
He also commended Governor Soludo for launching “Operation-Udo-Ga-Achi’ security outfit codenamed Agunechemba and urged the operatives to live above board.
