Revenue increase: ASMATA President, revenue contractor not representing us — traders

By Chukwudum Ebele

Traders in Anambra State, weekend reacted to the commendation by the President of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association, ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu, and the government revenue contractor, Chief Chimezie Nwankwo, to Anambra State Government for allegedly slashing the levy being collected for loading and offloading of goods from articulated vehicles, saying the commendation was on selfish interest of the duo, not from traders.

The traders who reacted under the platform of Concerned Anambra Traders, led by Chief Gabriel Okeke, urged Governor Soludo to be wary of the duo, stating that the President and the contractor had earlier met and resolved their interest, what to tell the traders concerning the levy collection for loading and offloading of goods from articulated vehicles.

“The duo then called a meeting of all market chairmen and secretaries at the ASMATA house, Modebe road, Onitsha, and the contractor announced to the traders that State Government has slashed the revenue rate for the loading and offloading of goods from #30,000 to #25,000 for trailer/truck, while a small truck with 10 tyres will now pay #20,000 against #25,000 earlier paid.

“Shuttle bus to pay #3,000 against #5,000 it paid earlier. The same contractor in charge of the articulated vehicles now has extended his services to also collecting levies from L300 buses, shuttle buses, and Datsun, among others.

“We are opposing what they told us, traders because it never came from the government but the resolution of the duo, to extort the traders. The slash is as good as nothing happened, the levy remains where it is.

“The ASMATA President in his speech told us that he needed not to argue or disagree with the government resolution on the alleged slash in the levy, and directed us to pay it. Immediately there was murmuring, signifying that the levy remains an ill wind that blows nobody good.

“It was at this point that the contractor now came in again and said he would remove a little amount again from the levy and the traders just kept their calm. The contractor then, in appreciation, gave the ASMATA officials present #200,000, for their cooperation to convince the traders to pay,” he hinted.

The concerned traders described their speech and directive to pay the new levy as extortion by the duo and not from the State Government, adding that Chief Ekwegbalu does not take the interest of the traders at heart and that is the reason for market crises.

“He doesn’t know anything about traders’ welfare, he is just an armchair President and this calls for his substitution with a competent market leader that may have ruled his market as chairman, as stipulated in the traders’ rules and regulations for a position of an ASMATA President,” he further stated.