Traders in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State have decried the return of criminal activities and the killings of security personnel in the recent time.
They also blamed the activities of touts who regularly scam unsuspecting members of the public who patronize the market on daily basis which they noted that some of customers who came from Delta, Edo, Ore in Ondo state, majorly from Gabon, Cameron Angola and other Africa countries are now going to Aba to buy their goods.
The chairman of Building Materials International Market, situated along Enugu/ Onitsha Express Road, Mr. Jude Nwankwo, while speaking to News Echo, said the leadership of the markets resolved to embark on a sanitization exercise to flush out touts and other criminal elements in the commercial city.
He said, “We are set to rid the market of fake and unregistered traders who engaged in duping or misinforming customers who come to the market to transact businesses from other states.
He said the touts who consist of young men, all of who do not have shops in the market usually approach customers to help them (customers) procure some wares, only to sell to them at very high cost after collecting the products from other people’s shops, or outrightly making away with their money.
Nwankwo, revealed that the touts have ended up giving the market a bad name, and that this has affected sales in the market.
“The present leadership has decided to end the menace of market touting in order to give the market a brightening image which it rightly deserves with the cooperation of other members of the executive.
“Most often, customers complain of substandard products bought from the markets, and would vow never to pay another visit to the market to patronise them after numerous bitter experiences,” he added.
Nwankwo disclosed that fake revenue agents who flood the market premises would also be thrown out to enable genuine investors seek ways of partnering with traders for development and business boom.
Touting has remained a major problem in most markets in Onitsha, with some even posing as revenue agents to disposes customers of their monies in the market
The Traditional ruler of Onitsha Kingdom, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe (Obi of Onitsha), who also spoke on the development, urged security agencies in the State to live up to their responsibility by arresting the current scourge of insecurity across communities in the state.
Igwe Achebe made the plea at Ime-Obi Palace, Awka Road, Onitsha after being presented with keys of six motorcycles, communication gadgets and other equipment donated by R&S Lotto Company for the enhancement of Onitsha Ado Community Vigilante Service.
Chairman, Onitsha North Local Government Area, Hon. Patrick Agha Mba also donated a Siena Bus to the security outfit to fight the menace.
The traditional ruler who commended the immense contributions of R&S Lotto in securing lives and property of the citizens also called on other corporate bodies and those operating businesses in the town to emulate the lotto company in their effort to make Onitsha safe for businesses to thrive. He also enjoined Onitsha indigenes in diaspora to contribute towards the sustenance of the outfit.
Managing Director, R&S Lotto, Chief Francis Chidiac who jokingly described himself as a native of Umudei Village, Onitsha while speaking through his Anambra State Manager of the company, Hon. Raphael Emejulu said that the company’s donation to the security outfit was one of her numerous corporate social responsibility to assist the environment where it operates her business.
Emejulu an indigene of Onitsha disclosed that R&S Lotto had many Onitsha indigenes working in the company and commended the effort of the Managing Director of the company, Chief Chidiac in his quest to make the town safe for all, especially now that those employed to protect harmless citizens have been murdered in cool blood.
Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Obiano on Youth Development, Mr. Eloka Egbunike during an interview with News Echo, urged indigenes of the town to work towards protection of lives and property of people in the commercial town by donating security equipment to the security outfit.
Also reacting on the ugly situation trending in Onitsha and its environs, the state Hon. Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Mr. Charles Uchenna Okafor, on his part, alerted all market leaders in Anambra to be vigilant because of the security challenges facing the state in recent times.
Okafor sounded the alarm during a meeting with all stakeholders and market leaders held early this week at the office of the Head of Service (HOS) Conference Hall, State Secretariat, Awka.
He told them that what is happening is so dangerous that security agents are killed and their arms taken away. In two incidents at Awkuzu and Nneni some security agents were killed.
“If such happens in a market environment, casualties will be so much.” “The weapons carted away by unknown gunmen who perpetrated the crimes may be used to commit other crimes.
“Anambra State has been the most peaceful and safest state in Nigeria, but when security agents that have given us that success are attacked and dislodged, we are in danger,” the commissioner remarked.
He then called on market executive committees to sensitize all traders in their markets to be security conscious; to monitor movements in and around their markets and report any suspicious movements to the police.
On the issue of politics, the commissioner emphasized that the stance of the state government was that market environment should never be used for political rallies or campaigns.
“There are diverse political interests in the markets, and some politicians will want to take advantage of traders and their markets. “They should not be allowed into markets to avoid causing confusion in the markets.”
Concerning fire incidents in markets, the commissioner said that the government would want to spend more money on prevention of fire outbreaks than in compensating victims. He called on markets without water boreholes, fire hydrants and good access roads to forward their requests to the government.
In addition, he explained that the government had set up a committee to look into the fire outbreak at the Nnewi Timber Market.
He also complained that the crime rate in the state presently was so high that it was adversely affecting the traders and buyers alike.
Chairman Amalgamated Traders Association, Nnewi ,Chief Edward Muozom, called the attention of the state government to the dilapidated conditions of the two fire trucks given to them.
He said that of the two, one is not functional, the one that is functioning was an old truck that could not do much; which accounted for the complete razing of Nnewi Timber Market.
Chairman Oye Uga Market, Mr. Williams Umendigo said that the market leaders had been supporting the government and protecting the markets against invasions by politicians.
He said that they in turn expect certain rewards from the government in terms of palliatives and infrastructure projects in their markets.
Chairman, Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association ASMATA, Chief Ikechukwu Ekwegbalu cautioned all market executive members to provide fire extinguishers in their various markets as previously agreed, before pushing for water hydrants and fire trucks.
He warned members to be vigilant and report any suspicious person or group of persons parading in the domain to their nearby police station for prompt action.
The Chairman of Onitsha Aluminum, Allied Dealers and Technicians Association of Nigeria (OAADTA), Chief Ifeanyi Okeke, on his brief reaction, advised the South East governors to do the needful by intensifying their security efforts in order to safeguard the region from the hands of those who didn’t mean well for the growth and development of Igbo land.
