RESCUE US FROM FORCEFUL EJECTION — ANAMBRA RADIO TELEVISION TECHNICIAN BEGS SOLUDO
Eche Nwaobasi.Nnewi.
Members of Anambra State Radio/Television Technicians plying their trade along Modebe Avenue/Iweka Road, Moore and Amobi Street axis Odoakpu Onitsha, Onitsha South L.G.A. has embarked on a peaceful protest begging Gov. Soludo of Anambra state to urgently intervene and save them from being forceful ejected from their shops by a Sister Market Union, Electronic Spare Parts Traders Association (ESPTA) who in a bid to force their members to relocate to their new market at Harbour Estate Ogbaru L.G.A. forcefully closed up their shops thereby putting them off from their business.
Embarking on the peaceful protest which led the traders from their official headquarters at Modebe Avenue to the ASMATA Office, the umbrella body of all traders in the state located along Modebe Avenue with placards which read thus “The New Market is only for Members of Electronic Spare Parts Traders and not for us, “they should leave us alone as we are yet to build our market”, Gov. Soludo please rescue us from losing our businesses”, We are not opposed to the market, we are saying that our association is different from them, “they should let us be” among others.
Making their grievances known to Chief Eric Uwaoma, The Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) Zonal Chairman for Onitsha Zone who received them on behalf of the state chairman of the body Chief Anuna who was unavoidable absent because of pressing state matters, Chief Sabestine Ebenite the Chairman of the union told the ASMATA Representative that they came to show their displeasure on how their shops which are the source of their livelihood was forcefully closed down by a sister Union Electronic Spare Parts Traders Association also staying in the same place with them on the forceful order that all of them should relocate to their newly built market at Harbour Estate whereas their union is different from them and is not part of the new market adding that they are planning to build their market in future.
While brandishing a court judgment obtained by the association in the Anambra State High Court presided over by Ex-Chief Judge of Anambra State Justice Peter Umeadi in the Suit No. 0/543M/2009 where the court gave them the right of autonomy from Electronic Spare Parts Traders Association, he pleaded with authorities of ASMATA to intervene and bring their plight to Gov. Soludo to intervene and help them so that their shops should be open for them to continue their trade, adding that they have been law-abiding and has been paying their taxes, rates, IGR to the state government promptly.
Responding, Chief Eric Uwaoma commended them for their peaceful disposition in carrying out their grievances. He assured that his organization and the chairman would work round the clock for the issue to be resolved peacefully.
Speaking to newsmen later, Chief Sabastine Ebenite and Comrade Ekechi Uchenna, the chairman and a member of the executive Radio/Television Technicians Association respectively stated that their association is a different autonomous union from the Electronic Spare Parts Traders Association and is not part of the the the market arrangement and pleaded to Gov. Soludo to intervene and order that their various shops be open for them to do their businesses, crying that the closure of their shops is grossly affecting them as most of them cannot take care of their families because of hardship as a result of the closure.
Contacted to react to this, Chief Evarist Uba, Gov. Soludo’s special adviser on Trade and Markets who signed the public announcement closing the shops did not pick up his calls as well as several messages sent to him on the issue before going to the press.
On Tue, 18 Jun 2024, at 1:15 pm Blessed Chuks, [email protected] wrote:
