ASMATA sacks market chairman, installs caretaker over non payment of Govt revenue

…I remain chairman –Agu

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, the umbrella body of all markets in Anambra State, has reportedly sacked the chairman of Onitsha Photographic Dealers Union, Chief Cletus Agu, over alleged non-payment of Government Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, for two years and for overstaying in office.

Agu, who told newsmen that he remained the chairman, was said to have been sent packing after interrogation by the Conflict Reconciliation Committee of ASMATA, headed by Chief Eric Uwaoma and comrade Peter Okala as secretariy.

Consequently, a nine-man caretaker commitee has been installed to pilot the activities of the union for three months, within which period it would reconcile all aggrieved members and ensure accountability.

Those appointed as caretaker commitee members included, Chief Okwudili Aninweke-chairman, Chizoba George-Vice chairman, Kingsley Anekwe-secretary, Mr. Vitus Ikekwere-financial secretariy and Levi Ihesiulor-treasurer.

Others were, Chinedu Awoke-Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Ugochukwu Ekeh-provost, Chief Joseph Ugwoegbu-member and Chukwuma Nwachukwu-member.

But in a swift reaction when contacted in his office, the embattled chairman described his sack as laughable and untrue, stating that he remains the chairman.

According to him, “I am not aware of the inauguration of a new caretaker commitee to pilot the affairs of the market. Why did they unseat a sitting chairman.I can recall when I was invited by the ASMATA Conflict Reconciliation Committee that a petition was written against me over non payment of IGR to State Government and overstay in office.

“It is just few persons, five to six of them that wrote the petition and they did not copy me to know how to defend myself, instead the trial body insisted that I must respond to questions put across to me but I refused and the trial ended in fiasco.

“Later I heard from people that I have been sacked and a caretaker installed..we pay our IGR to government and I have the receipts. we don’t belong to ASMATA, these few people just went to ASMATA and bought them over,” he affirmed.

“On the issue of overstay in office, my tenure has expired and I am even the one insisting that election should be conducted that I am done with the chairmanship, that I need to rest,” he stated.

Pic shows the ASMATA Chairman, Chief Humphrey Anuna