Obiano’s in-law, ASMATA PG in trouble, as market leaders demand accounts for N200 Million market revenue

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Former Governor Willie Obiano’s in-law and President General of Anambra state Markets Amalgamated Traders Association,(ASMATA) ,Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu is now in a mess as other of the executives of markets Association have demanded a probe for his stay in office since 2019.

According to the executives in a letter to the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, the ASMATA PG has diverted Government revenue and associations revenue worth over two hundred million Naira, N200M in the last four years.
The letter scooped by www.odogwublog.com signed on behalf of others by Kenneth Amakaeze ,Chief Provost of ASMATA and Hon Sunday Anako PRO of ASMATA revealed that the president general is lawless and high-handed hence his executive members are denied of information.

They want Ekwegbalu to account for all the monies he stole from the Association.

Part of the letter in full :

ASMATA OFFICE
68 MODEBELU AVENUE,
ODOAKPU ONITSHA,
ANAMBRA STATE.
4TH November,2022

Sir,
COMPLAINTS OF CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF PUBLIC OFFICE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT GENERAL OF ASMATA CHIEF IKECHUKWU EKWEGBALU
We the Executive Members of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association (ASMATA) humbly bring to your notice the excessive corrupt practices and fragrant abuse of public office by the President General of ASMATA Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu.
The PG was able to perpetrate his criminalities for years without disruption because he has executive/ political backings. Below are some of his crimes:

NO ELECTION: Ekwegbalu and all his executives were not elected into positions. On the day of election, traders were not allowed into the hall, other candidates for the elective positions were locked outside. Secondly, ASMATA Constitution provides that a person vying for the position of ASMATA PG must have served as a market Chairman of a government owned market. In addition, the person must own a shop and trades in the same market. In all these conditions, Ekwegbalu failed to meet even one.

ASMATA Welfare Funds: All Funds raised by the Association from the sales of ASMATA tickets since 2019 till date amounting to over N28,000,000 was not accounted for, neither in the purse.

WORK COMMITTEE FUNDS AND SHOPS: Markets constructing new shops normally allocate few shops for the association, but the PG sold all without leaving any amount for ASMATA.

NNEWI: 3 shops were given to the association at the rate of 4 million each, total N12,000,000 not accounted for.
MAIN MARKET ONITSHA, OGBO OKIRIKA: 1 shop and the sum of N600,000 was given to the association. He sold the shop and seized the money also, no account was made to the association.

BRIDGE HEAD MARKET (OGBO OGWU): 1 shop was given to the association but was sold off, no account made.

OGBO OSISI BRIDGE HEAD: 2 shops worth of 5 million naira each was given to the association, the 10 million Naira realized from the sale of the shops was not accounted for.

OSE OKWUDU MARKET: 5 shops were allocated to the association at the rate of N500, 000 each, amounts to 2.5 million Naira was sold off, no account made.

ELECTRICAL MARKET OBOSI: 2 shops were allocated to the association at 8 million each, amounts to 16 million naira sold, no account was made.

TIMBER MARKET UMUOKPU AWKA: the number of shops allocated to the association is not yet ascertained. He denied his executives of the information.

OGBUNIKE ALUMINIUM UNION (New site): number of shops allocated to the association was not ascertained because he denied us of the information.

OCHANJA CENTRAL MARKET: 8 million Naira was given to the association but he did not account for it.

ASMATA MARKET AUCTION SALES: December auction sales for the association for the past 3 years totals 18 million naira was not accounted for.

APGA CAMPAIGN FUND FOR SOLUDO: 10 million naira given to the association was collected by the PG and was not accounted for.

MARKET STALLAGE FEES: the percentage allotted to ASMATA from every market in the state since 2019 till date was not accounted for.

COLLECTION OF ILLEGAL TOLLS BY DUBIOUSLY USING THE NAMES OF COMMISSIONER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ASWAMA CHAIRMAN: Those buildings along Modebelu, Iweka and Fegge pay N200,000 each while some N300,000 for each house.

PLAZAS: plazas in Ziks avenue pay N80,000 weekly to PG.
Ufuma plaza N20,000 weekly
Okija Amaka N20,000 weekly

MARKET: Bida Street market N20,000 weekly
Sokoto road street market N20,000 weekly
Haruna street market N20,000 weekly
Hebrew fish near Ochanja N100,000 weekly
Dan Bright main market by Ose market N100,000 weekly

TASKFORCE: the PG organized Abakailiki boys as ASMATA Taskforce against the wishes of his executives, for his own selfish interest . They returned N784,000 to the association but the PG did not account for it.

CONCLUSION
We hope that the Honourable Commissioner will use his good office to call the PG Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu for proper accounts and refund of the stolen funds from the Association.

Kenneth Amakeze
Chief Provost ASMATA
08033235462

Hon. Sunday Anako
PRO ASMATA
08066735970