Posted by By NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha on
Tension has mounted in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra following the dissolution of executive committees of nine major markets in the state by the state government and subsequent setting up of new caretaker committees to run the affairs of the affected markets.
Tension has mounted in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra following the dissolution of executive committees of nine major markets in the state by the state government and subsequent setting up of new caretaker committees to run the affairs of the affected markets.
The state government, through the Special Adviser to Governor Peter Obi on Markets and Motor Parks, Chief Sylvester Nwobu-Alor had announced the dissolution of the market executives on Tuesday, adding that the newly constituted committees would be sworn-in yesterday.
In the letter entitled: The restructuring of markets in Anambra State, Nwobu-Alor noted that the restructuring exercise was in view of the fact that almost all the markets in the state are faced with a multiplicity of leadership tussles.
The government's action sent shivers down the spines of the entire traders as the new appointees were warming up to take over the mantle of leadership, with or without official swearing-in ceremony, while the outgoing ones which regarded the government action as unconstitutional, null and void went back the drawing board to strategize on how to deal with the situation.
In the latest re-structuring exercise, the nine major markets affected were the Onitsha Main Market, Bridge Head Market, Marine Modern Market, Ochanja Market, Old Motor Car Spare Parts Market, Ugwuagba (Mgbuka) Obosi Market, Ogbaru Main Market, Nkpor Main Market, Old Mercedes Spare Parts Market, Nkpor, Ose Ekwodu Market and the Building Materials International Market, Ogidi.
Each of the affected markets according to the government has a 10-man caretaker committee, including Chairman and Secretary.
While the Onitsha Main Market has Chief A. O. Ibekwe and Emenike Orji as Chairman and Secretary of its Caretaker committee respectively, Ochanja Market has Sir B.K. Offoekii and Augustine Amakor as its own chairman and secretary respectively, just as Chief Stephen Umeuzuegbu and Comrade Chris Nworisa became the chairman and secretary of Old Mercedes Spare Parts market, Nkpor.
Others are Christian Okoroukwu and Alex Offoka, chairman and secretary, Building Materials International market, Ogidi; Mr. Stephen Okoli and Sunday Ewelu, Chairman and Secretary, Ose-Okwodu Market; Chukwudum Atulama and Uchenna Ifezue, Chairman and Secretary, Ogbaru Main Market; Mike Nwizu and Lucky Elechi, Nkpor Main Market; Mr Obi Idemobi and Chistopher Ozumba, Old Motor Car Spare Parts Market, Ugwuagba Obosi; Mr Oscar Udo and Elisa Ibedu, Marine Modern Market and Chief Leo-Chris Udemezue and Angus Umeh, Bridge-head Market, Onitsha.
At the Onitsha Main Market, yesterday policemen from the Central Police Station (CPS), Onitsha, averted what could have led to a blood shed when the out-going Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mr Samuel Uzor and his successor-to-be, Chief A.O. Ibekwe exchanged hot words and later shifted their case to the CPS as Uzor refused to hand-over to Ibekwe and his committee because Ibekwe was yet to be sworn in by the government. But Ibekwe insisted on taking over the mantle of leadership immediately, which made the police to cordon off the Onitsha Main Market "White House."
Attempt by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at the CPS, and the President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) Mr Sylvester Odife (Jnr) to calm the two warring chairmen down proved abortive until the DPO ordered his men to cordon off the White House.
Even as the swearing-in ceremony could not hold yesterday as scheduled, the out-going executives are not resting on their oars to convince the State government that it is against the 1999 constitution for it to interfere in market affairs, adding that the duty of supervising markets fell under the local government and not state government.
In their statements yesterday, Barristers Dom Obiekie and V.M. Iloabachie, who spoke on behalf of some of the out-going market executives led by Chief Emmanuel Onyeharam, Chairman of Idemili Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (IMATA) which controls about four of the affected markets, advised government to steer clear of market politics and follow the rule of law, or be prepared to face legal actions.
Obiekie and Iloabachie regretted that Governor Obi, who claimed to be an apostle of rule of law, might have been deceived by some selfish advisers who now make it possible for the Governor to deviate from the same rule of law that has always favoured him.