Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The on-going demolition of illegal structures in and around markets, in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State, has received the commendation of traders in the state who have urged Governor Willie Obiano to ensure full completion of the operation.
Speaking on behalf of shade owners in Onitsha markets, the former Chairman of Onitsha Main Market Traders Union (OMMATU) and former Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) respectively, Chief Sylvester Odife said the demolition of illegal structures was one of the greatest things the Obiano’s government had done.
He said that those who erected illegal structures along the roads to the market had caused grave danger to business in the markets, as they made entrance to the markets impossible thereby scaring away customers from the market.
Odife therefore appealed to the Governor to go ahead with the demolition and not to listen to any call for him to soft pedal.
He said, “On behalf of shade owners in Onitsha market, I want to thank the Governor on this demolition of illegal structures he is doing in Onitsha, it is one of the most giant stride we have seen in Anambra state. No Governor has ever tried it to this level, so we are commending him and pray that he will not look back.
“This is because the Main Market is sinking, many people have abandoned their shades, sublet their shades and moved to the streets, Sokoto Road, Bida Road, Bright Street blocking the way, because they believed that through the illegal structures blocking the roads that they will make much sales. We have up to 900 lockup shops in the Main Market that have been abandoned by their owners who then erected the illegal structures.
“We want to commend the Governor and those he sent on the job of demolition of the illegal structures because they are doing a very good job. They have demolished all the illegal structures, cleared the roads in Old Market Road, Ose Market, Johnson Street and Bright Street point of Main Market but there is still job to do there.
“They need to come there and consolidate the job they did there, entrance of Main Market through Sokoto Road, they have done some clearing there but they need to come back and consolidate that place, same as Johnson Street and Bright Street of Main Market.
“We want Governor Obiano to know that all good and well meaning traders and business men and women in the market are solidly behind him in this operation and it is our prayer that he does not look back no matter the influence of the perpetrators of congestions on the roads to the market.
“He should not listen to anyone suggesting he mellow down on the operation. Whoever that is making any complaint on the demolition is one of those blocking the road and building illegal structures and should be treated as such. Traders are hailing him and we shall be happy if he maintains the tempo and would like him to keep a monitoring team there to ensure that those sacked from the roads did not return there.
“If this is done traders will be happy and will pay their stallage fees and other approved levies, if he sustains this thing he is doing, the fees and levies we were paying before, we were paying with tears because we were not selling anything. He should also direct the local government chairmen to ensure that they do not build illegal structures or block roads.
He also urged Governor Obiano to look into the extortion going on in the market whereby traders coming to buy goods from Onitsha were made to pay all manner of fees that are not government approved.
He said, “We also want to bring to the Governor’s notice of the extortion going on in the market, there are some people that are extorting money from traders coming to the market from other states. After they bought goods from the market , not only Main Market, they will state at Niger Street, New Market Road, they will be extorting money from them even those carry loads on the head, they would be extorting N200, N300 and some security AVS are involved in this extortion.
“The worse is that when you ask those doing this who employed them or directed to do so, they will tell you that they worked for Anambra state government victory in the election so this is part of their settlement. And because of this extortion many traders coming from other states are saying that they will not be coming to Onitsha market if after buying from us paying okada or keke fee, they would still be extorted, they will stop.”