Anambra Market Officially Kicks Off Yearly Activities As Chairman Lists Achievements…FRSC, Fire Service Director , Estate Developer Sensitize Traders

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The Onitsha Main Market Amalgamated Traders Union, OMMATU, on 21st Feb. officially reopened for the year activities with meeting by the executives, Stakeholders, line Chairmen and Secretaries of the market.

Speaking during the meeting at the market hall, the Chairman of the Market, Chief Innocent Ezeoha, a.k.a, Ezennia, stated that “The administration of the market officially resumes all her activities today though we started since 4th January”.

He reiterated his readiness to ensure that he left remarkable legacies despite all challenges from those who don’t want the good and progress of the market because of their selfishness and self centered.

He assured traders that there must be a very big difference this year as long as he is there, that the hall must be renovated in no distance time, recommended that traders are free to meet him in the office which is open to everybody.

Listing the verifiable achievements of the current OMMATU Central Executives led by him, he said that the executives has so far achieved the following legacy projects for the good of the market traders, customers, service to humanity and to the Glory of God.

The legacies according to him are “Restoration of sanity and orderliness by elimination of all manner of extortions, intimidation and harassment by touts and the re orientation of the white house task force members for better conduct.

“The mounds of refuse at Bright Street and Johnson Street are no more as refuse are now evacuated on regular basis, even as the contractors are on strike, the chairman has ensured that both streets are bereft of refuse. Furnishing of OMMATU main hall and 2nd floor with seats and befitting tables, thereby stoping hiring is seats for our chairmen and Secretaries meeting.

“Equipping the OMMATU hall with a state of the art public address system comprising of loud speakers, amplifiers, digital phones. Before the advent of this present executives, people were moving out of the market in droves, but the policies of the current executives has brought them back, making the price of shops in the market to be appreciating and the abandoned one now reoccupied.

“Installation of solar light, Umu boi empowerment, main market health center, installation of WIFI service, extension of the closing of market from 5pm to 6pm, attraction of market access road construction and other adjoining roads, renovation of the OMMATU white house.

“The presence executives made the government to understand the importance of Johnson Street to the life of main market business even both the local government and the state government wanted to divert it to a motorable road for taxes, buses, Keke etc, we are all aware that Johnson Street is where we offload our goods, open our values of clothes and pack customers goods.

In his words, the former chairman of the market, Chief Dozie Okeke lauded Ezennia for the projects he has attracted to the market so far, stating that he must commend him for that, complained that the then governor couldn’t approve the construction of the market access road during his own time but done during this administration

He admonished traders to appreciate Ezennia’s development strides in the market noting that leadership of main market is a very difficult tasks which one must have oppositions and distractions, charged them to always support whoever that emerges as the Market leader because it might happen to you, stating that leadership is like a barrack, where soldier goes and another would come.

Reacting, the state line chairman, Mr Chukwujekwu Agbata appreciated the market chairman saying that there is new renovations in the market, tasked other line chairmen and Secretaries to also put their lines in other, recalled they used their 3% stallage percentage meant for themselves to put their line in order.

Thanking the Governor, High Chief Williams Ezechukwu Orakwute, Uduakommili lauded Governor Charles Soludo for the construction of the market access road and the construction of roads in Achalla, Awka North LG, his home town. He also commended the chairman for what he has done and still doing in the market.

Earlier, The Chairman, Juliemon Real Estate and properties, Dr.Sir. Ejike Madunagu, an estate developer disclosed that they partner with markets association, sensitises traders on initiatives of getting a land and owe a house of their own noting that some of them are ignorant of that.

According to Madunagu, “Some traders lack knowledge on how to get the house of their own because they think it is a very big project. We help such people to make it easier for them, to partner with all markets in Anambra State, We have affordable lands in Delta State, even in Anambra here, they are affordable and one can pay by installment.

“We want to control housing deficit in Nigeria, that is our main purpose, the Civil Servants who could not afford their own house after retirement, they can partner with us to get their dream house”, he assured.

The Anambra State Federal Road Safety, FRSC Corps Director, Mr Chicheta Emmanuel sensitises traders on fire outbreak preventive measures, stating that when fuel, oxygen and heat come together in an equal proportion, fire incident can occur, stating that fuel can be anything that attracts fire easily.

He advised that there are 3 things to do to control fire incident, cooling, starvation and smouldering, noting that the causes of fire outbreak are ignorance, carelessness, illegal connections, hurding of fuels etc.

The Deputy Route Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, CC Edebeatu FRSC Station Officer, Onitsha North LG advised traders to always go to their offices for their driving licenses and avoid patronizing roads side people who claimed to be officials of the road safety, noting that our people are impatience, that is the reason for falling victims in the hands of these fake drivers licence.

The Senior Special Adviser to Governor Charles Soludo on security, Mr Chinenye Ihenko, Okpompi, commended the fire service director for sensitizing markets in the state which according to him”Have never been done”, noting that it is a welcome development on the side of the fire servicemen.

There was also a section of questions and answers from traders both for the FRSC Commander and the fire service director.