Traders kick removal of Obinze-led Onitsha Bridgehead market exco
Reactions have continued to trail the recent sudden and unexpected removal of Mr. Sunday Obinze-led elected executive members of Onitsha Bridgehead market, by the state government.
Among those who have so far reacted against the development were the Chairman of Uba Planks and Joint Association, UPJA, Limited, Chief Emmanuel Obunso and his Vice, Chief Joseph Anih; the Chairman of Old zinc dealers and furniture makers association (formerly joint traders and woodwork association), Chief Emmanuel Edochie; Mr. Tony Okechukwu, Chairman of Hoteliers Association and Nze Ikechukwu Okpala, Chairman, Onitsha Industrial Iron Dealers Association, OIIDA.
The state government, through the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Ngonadi had barely a fortnight ago written to Obinze and his elected executive members to immediately hand over the mantle of leadership of the market to the Chief Emeka Ilonze-led Caretaker Committee newly constituted by the state government.
As at the time of filing this report, the Ilonze committee has already occupied the market offices where Obinze and his executive members were hitherto occupied.
But perturbed by the looming tension gathering within the 27 unions under the umbrella of Bridge Head Market Traders Association, BHMTA, Obunso, Anih, Edochie, Okechukwu and Okpala who are among the leaders of 27 unions and lines in the market, advised the authorities of Anambra state government to reinstate the sacked Sunday Obinze-led elected executive of BHMTA to enable them complete their tenure and leave office in peace.
Obunso, Anih, Edochie, Okechukwu and Okpala observed that if the tension currently brewing in the market, over the sudden and unnecessary removal of the market executive midway into their tenure is not nipped in the bud by reinstating them, peace and security in the market may not be guaranteed any moment from now.
They further pleaded with Governor Soludo to direct Commissioner Ngonadi to reinstate Obinze-led executive to continue with the transformation programmes they were doing in the whole market before their sudden removal.
Specifically, they advised the state government to reinstate Obinze within two weeks from now before the traders stage a protest.
They expressed concern that after investigating some allegations of corruption and imposition of levies on traders levelled against Obinze executive by few traders in the market and writing a letter clearing Obinze of such spurious and unfounded allegations, Ngonadi still went ahead to sack Obinze-led executive and replaced them with the same frivolous petitioners as market Caretaker Committee.
Moreover, some of the traders and unions in the market have alleged that the newly appointed caretaker committee has imposed revenue which they are not willing to pay claiming that the state government officials had toed the line of appointing their kinsmen as market leaders.
