CCTV threatens to shut down main market Onitsha over debt

www.odogwublog.com reports that the Metro Digital Mobile Limited, MDM, a security company employed by the Amalgamated Markets Traders Association Anambra State, AMATAS and Anambra State Government, through a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, MOU in 2012, to design, install and manage digital security video camera network in 49 Anambra markets has threatened to shut down Onitsha Main Market over N72 million debts.

The Managing Director of the Company and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Oliver Uzochukwu and his British Director, and Managing Director of IPX Voice Limited United Kingdom, Mr John Bean, while addressing newsmen on behalf of other  local and foreign Directors, alleged that the leadership of  Onitsha Main Market Amalgamated Traders Union, OMMATU, has collected the money from over 30 traders in the market with the aid of over twenty thousand copies of receipts they supplied to them to facilitate payment, but failed to remit the N72 million being arrears of security camera levy they owe them, or return their receipts.

Mr. Oliver Uzochukwu, an engineer, alleged that OMMATU leadership apart from collecting the security camera levy and refusal to remit into their accounts, allegedly connived with some people to employ a communication outfit that offers similar service to their when their contract is still subsisting, just as frustrating the near perfect security the Government of Dr Willine Obiano is providing in Onitsha and the state in general.

“Our MOU AMATAS, Anambra State Government will run for ten years, and therefore will end in 2024, but the leadership of the market dismantled and destroyed our equipment while trying to create a space for the new company they want to employ, instead of paying the debt they owe us.

“The only money we have succeeded to collect from the traders which is N1, 70,000, and N300,000 was made possible by the police we invited into the matter after several peaceful failed attempts,  and it was collected as exhibit, while the traders promised to pay us in January 2016, yet they reneged in their promise.

“We have written Governor Obiano, we have petitioned the Anambra Police Command, on this issue, we have written, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, President General of AMATAS, the Onitsha Police Area Commander, the Police Service Commission, and we want to take a legal action against AMATAS and Onitsha Main Market traders.”

The President General of AMATAS, Dr Okwudili Ezenwankwo when contacted said that Metro Digital Mobile Limited breached the agreement in the tripartite MOU they signed with them, saying that they have not completed the project in all the places agreed in the market and they increased the maintenance levy from N100 to N200 which sparked off demonstration in the market.

Dr Ezenwankwo said that the traders demonstrated and wanted to destroy things in the market and that attracted the attention of Governor Willie Obiano who ordered that further collection of the money should stop, and it is only the Governor that will give directive for the traders to start paying the money again, for us in AMATAS, we are just signatory to the MOU, we know we have commitment in the project, but the contractor should meet the Governor to explain certain action they took that offended the Governor and the traders.

Also contacted, the Chairman of OMMATU Mr. Dozie Okeke said he does not know anything about the levy as he recently took over from the former leadership of the market that has not handed over any document regarding that to him.

CCTV threatens to shut down main market Onitsha over debt CCTV threatens to shut down main market Onitsha over debt Reviewed by Unknown on Thursday, February 09, 2017 Rating: 5

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