By Praise Chinecherem
There is palpable tension in markets in Onitsha, Anambra State and its environs following circulation of fliers by sacked revenue collectors to resume collection of illegal revenue from traders.
The aggrieved traders, through their chairman, Chief Gabriel Okeke expressed their preparedness to resist the payment.
They vowed to physically confront the suspected touts if by Tuesday, the fliers continued to circulate in the markets.
He said, “They are sacked touts and illegal revenue collectors and they returned because the government is not serious with them.
“They are back on the roads and have extended it to the markets and parks to collect exorbitant levies of #40,000, #30, 000, #20,000 and #10,000, as the case may be because they weigh the size of the vehicle laden with wares.
“Last Wednesday, there would have been riot as they were sharing the fliers because the traders ordered them to get out of their markets. How can they storm the markets at this hardship to extort us. We can’t allow them.
“We told the President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, of the return of the touts and illegal revenue collectors and fliers being circulated in the markets and his reaction was not palatable as he called for uniformed revenue collection.
“His job is to protect the traders but since he came on board, our condition has been worsened. If he knows what he is doing the crisis in the markets would have been curtailed. If not for the Commerce and Industry Commissioner, Hon. Obinna Ngonadi, touts and illegal revenue collectors would have taken over the markets.
“As far as we are concern the ASMATA President is not representing us well but his private pockets.
“He said discussion should be held with a view to having uniformed revenue payment but we disagreed with him because the State Government has sacked touts and illegal revenue collectors in the State.”
