As Revocation Of Allocations Looms
By Okey Maduforo Awka
While the Nkwo Nnewi Auto Spare parts market was shut yesterday due to failure to comply with the the directives of the Anambra state government against the banned sit at home order, over 200 shops have also been sealed by the Onitsha South local government Council at the Bridge Head Market.
Meanwhile there are likely indications that the allocations of those shops may be revoked and given to other traders after full investigations have been carried out .
The sealed 200 shops are located at six market lines where it was discovered that those shops were under lock and key and no commercial activity took place there following the refusal of the traders to open their shops for business.
The monitoring of compliance to government directives which was led by the Mayor Chief Joseph Emeka Orji and the Secretary of Onitsha South local government Mr Paul Onuachalla saw the sealing off of the entrance to the market lines while new key padlocks were bought to lock up those shops .
According to the Mayor of Onitsha South local government area Chief Emeka Joseph Orji it is sad and unfortunate that when government is trying to restore normal commercial activities in Anambra state,some people are bent on sabotaging those efforts.
“Other shops and markets were open for business in Onitsha but those at the Bridge Head Market chose to close theirs and this is an act of sabotage on the state and government and we shall no longer take that ”
“Those shops would remain closed until next Monday and if they fail to comply by that Monday the shops would remain closed indefinitely” he said.
Also speaking the Secretary of the Council Mr Paul Onuachalla noted that the offences committed by the traders include, terrorism, economic sabotage and kindred offences.
“This is an act of economic sabotage against Anambra state as well as an act of aiding and abetting terrorism as well as other kindred offences and we as a Council cannot treat them with kid gloves ”
“We expected the traders to take a clue from the closure of the Onitsha main market yet they felt that they can get away with it and now they are made to face the law and there would not be any compromise at all ”
“As I speak to you those shop may have their respective allocations revoked and according to the laws of the land , government owns all property and they can be revoked or taken over based on overriding public interest” he stated .
