By Praise Chinecherem
Foodstuffs traders operating near Onitsha, the commercial nerve center of Anambra State have commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for reinstating sacked traders, predominantly widows at Afia Coke in Ogbaru local Government Area of the state. The market was called Afia-Coke because of its proximity to a Coca-Cola depot that was located near electronics market.
Spokesperson for the widows, who identified herself as Mama Nneka urged the governor to revisit the issue of multiple levies allegedly being collected by leadership of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA.
She said, “The Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Trade and Markets, (SPAD), Hon. Evarist Uba, sacked us, widows, from Afia Coke, to a far place, behind Power Mike Stadium.
“As widows the governor came to our rescue by reinstating us and told us that he was not even aware of the sack. God will protect the governor for us because SPAD may have favoured some people for his selfish interest by sacking us.
“This is one of the atrocities he is committing and traders may think governor is aware. That is why we call for his sack. He is selfish,” she stated.
“We know he works with the ASMATA President General, PG, Chief Humphrey Anuna to extort traders in the market. Traders will be happy if the two market leaders are removed for worsening the condition of traders in the state.”
Also at Ochanja Central market, a Chieftain, Chief Emesigbue Ojereme, told reporters that multiple levies being collected by ASMATA PG through his agents is now a source of worry to traders in the state.
“It is from one problem to another, the PG told us in a meeting that we have to buy a set (pack) of nylon bags that contain about 20 pieces for refuse disposal. Each of the pack is sold for N1,200, but the PG presented only 12 pieces as a set and directed we pay N7,000. What a wicket extortion.
“When we complained to him he denied it and said that we should buy the nylon bags and put the refuse into a plastic bucket, which is another means of extortion.
“While we are trying to come out from the N30,000 stallage leviy from government, he imposed nylon and bucket levies on us. It is obvious he arranged with nylon and plastic dealers to extort us.
“He is only interested in his seat and not the interest of traders and that is why we want governor Soludo to remove him and SPAD. . Soludo should know that we now pay N37,000 instead of N30,000. Unfortunately the two leaders blocked us from talking to the Governor face to face,” he stated.
Mrs Onyenegbu Obikezie, a trader at Nkpor Main market, said that, “Upon what we told the PG the day he came to our market, that we are suffering and most of us are widows, that he should represent us well by telling the governor to reduce the N30,000 stallage levy, Nylon and bucket levies that are added to the stallage levy now make us to pay stallage of N37, 000 instead of N30,000.
“What has become of the General Purpose Levy that Chairman of AIRS, Chief Greg Ezeilo, told us about.
“We are asking the governor for replacement of the market leaders, SPAD, who is even worse than ASMATA PG, these two leaders are torns in our fresh, they don’t help us to curtail our problems rather worsen them,” she stated.
