Anambra: NIWA officials, Military Personnel Invade Markets, Chased Traders, Demand For Stallage Levy

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The traders in Onitsha Progress Markets 1 and 2 were early morning on 23rd Sept taken unawares according to an eye witness when a team of combined team of NIWA officials and military personnel allegedly invaded the markets, forcing traders out and locking up shops on demand of stallage fees.

However, timely intervention by Onitsha South Local Government Authorities, led by Mayor Chief Emeka Orji and Council Secretary Paul Onuachalla, brought the situation under control, allowing traders to reopen their shops

Three individuals purporting to work for NIWA were arrested and handed over to the Police Area Commander for detention and possible prosecution.

NIWA officials claimed they have the legal authority to collect stallage fees from markets within 100 meters of the River Niger’s bank. In contrast, Onitsha South Local Government Authorities insist that markets and parks are exclusively under their control, citing the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the incident, Onuachalla, the council Secretary lamented that NIWA has always interfered with market activities, pretending ignorance of the fact that markets and motor parks are being managed by local government authorities, under the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Onuachalla noted that as early as Wednesday morning, the NIWA officials allegedly sent out the illegal revenue collectors, in collaboration with some military men believed to be Naval ratings in camouflaged uniforms to aid and abet the illegal revenue collectors in a bid to forcibly collect the stallage fees from the traders.

He added that when the traders resisted, the revenue collectors and their military allies went as far as pushing the traders out of the market and locking up their shops.

The Council Secretary further stated that it was a distress call from the traders, complaining that they have been pushed out of their shops and their shops locked up by a combined team of NIWA revenue collectors and the military personnel that prompted their timely intervention.

The Mayor of Onitsha South, in his reaction, expressed concern that the military personnel did not ask necessary questions before aiding and abetting the the NIWA officials in such an illegality step.

Chairman of one of the markets, Mr. Nnamdi, on phone told newsmen that they have been paying their stallage fees to the state government since the establishment of the market by former Governor Chris Ngige, adding that they were forcefully chased out by the combined team of NIWA officials and military Personnel

All efforts to get in touch with both the Onitsha Area Manager of NIWA and Commander of Onitsha Naval Outpost proved abortive as their phone lines could not go through after several attempts.

We would recall that this incident is part of an ongoing dispute between NIWA and Onitsha South Local Government over revenue collection in markets near the River Niger. The local government has accused NIWA of interfering in market activities, while NIWA claims the council is usurping its federal functions