Onitsha Drug market chairman accuses opposition of being faceless warriors

By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha

The caretaker committee chairman of Onitsha Drug (Ogbogwu), market, Bridge head market, Anambra State. Mr. Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, Sunday, reacted to the petition written against him by Concerned People of Ogbogwu, describing the petitioners led by their coordinator, Emmanuel Ozoemenam, as faceless warriors whose interest is to distabilise the market and his good work for refusing to share revenue generated in the market amongst them.

Recall that in a Save Our Soul, S.O.S. Appeal to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, through the counsel to the Concerned people of Ogbogwu market, Barr. Adeh T. Leonard, they accused the trio of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Chinedu Samuel Ike, Special Adviser to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo on Parks and Markets. Hon. Evarist Uba and Onitsha Bridgehead Drug market chairman, Ndubuisi, of intimidating, extorting and harassment of traders.

In a swift reaction, the chairman of the Drug market. Ndubuisi, disclosed that the coordinator of the opposition, Ozoemenam, was not even a trader in the market and wondered how a non trader would be talking when he has no stake in the market.

“His stock in trade is going about soliciting for fund to fight the caretaker committee members. How can faceless people detect for us and label us illegal when we are set up by Anambra State Government. We know some people especially former market leaders are behind their attack on us because I refused to share the money meant for State Government which we generate here.

“Those we stopped from dealing in fake/adulterated drugs are working with the faceless opposition and we meant it that no such drugs would be sold in this market. We have handed over scores of such drugs to NAFDAC for necessary action and we will not relent in exposing them and that is the cause of the war between us and them.

“Their coordinator, Ozoemenam Emmanuel has continued to write petitions against us to also distract our attention but rather we continue to improve on the welfare of the traders. We have increased the revenue base that was about #20million before we came in to now #50million yearly which has never been obtained since the inception of the market.

” They tried to block our major sources of revenue like monies realized from companies but they could not . We refurbished the transformer and now have 24 hour power supply in the market, having paid the debt of about #9million owed EEDC by the previous administration. We have also renovated and equipped the Secretariat after being touched by the chemical explosion recently.

“We set up a clinic and have medical personnel that man it. Installed conveniences and furniture in the Secretariat. We have pipe borne water that runs steady. We have constituted a Constitution drafting committee and the traders are very happy and gave us the go ahead because lack of Constitution has been major problem in the market.

“The previous administration was owing the staff arrears of salaries but on coming in, we off set the debts and the staff, mostly women that are breadwinners to their various families thanked us for curtailing their hardship,” they further disclosed.

Reiterating that he can not be deterred by the antics of the faceless opposition, the chairman expressed optimism that the present executive of the market would restore the lost glory of the market and prayed God to guide and protect the members as they celebrate the Christmas and New year, including all traders.

Pic shows the committee