The new leadership of Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State has vowed to flush out touts and hoodlums in the market inline with governor Chukwuma Soludo war against touting and illegal revenue collection in the state.
The new chairman of the market, Chief Innocent Ezeoha (Ezennaya) who stated this while addressing the traders during the presentation of the new leadership to the traders at White House office, said it will be no more business as usual as all hands must be on deck to move the market forward.
The 21-man Caretaker Committee was inaugurated by commissioner for Commerce and Industry at Awka last week where they were told to go and sanitize and reposition the market for good.
The programme attracted the DPO in charge of Onitsha Main Market, immediate past chairman of the market Chief Kenneth Onyeka as well as some pastors who prayed and sanctified the offices.
Speaking, the new chairman, Ezeoha said that government gave them the mandate to reposition the market and organize election for elected market leaders, stressing that the new leadership would not prolong their stay in the office but to conduct election in no distant time.
“We are coming to serve not to be served or as rulers. We want to return and maintain our leadership as number one market in Anambra and as the biggest market in the West Africa. I want everybody to join hands to lift the market. I will run all inclusive leadership without fear or favour.
“I will carry everybody along to move the market forward. My leadership will not hire chairs but will construct chairs for the market. From Tuesday next week our market shall be opening for daily business from 7am and closes at 6pm. I urge the traders to adhere to the new directive or stand to be sanctioned.
“The peace committee of the market will work in synergy with police to settle matters. The committee will try its best to settle issues among the traders before referring the matter to the police while all the criminal matters should be reported to the police directly for arrest and investigation.
“We know that some touts in the market doesn’t have anything doing and we shall sit down to identify them and send their names to the government for onward skill training and empowerment” Ezeoha stated.
The former chairman, Onyeka urged the traders to support the new leadership of the market, saying the the new chairman was recommended for the position due to his impeccable character and trust.
He however advised the new chairman to desist from praise singers and sycophants in the market, “be careful of bad advisers, deceivers and bad friends but remain focused”.
Credit: Leadership