Stop erecting illegal structures, save the life of our people, Onitsha Ochanja market traders tell chairman.
The traders of Ochanja Market, Onitsha Anambra State in the early hours of today took the street to protest against the alleged erection of illegal structures in the market.
Addressing journalists, one of the stakeholders Chief Ikechukwu Okoye told journalists that the TC Chairman Chief Nelson Ojukwu who he said has been the chairman for over seven years and his executive members were erecting illegal structures in the market which according to Chief Okoye are prone to collapse at any moment, describing those structures as death traps.
Chief Okoye further noted with dismay that the Ochanja Market leadership has been running on the T.C system and the tenure of the incumbent chairman has expired, while the chairman was allegedly said to have been frequenting Awka in a bid to his tenure renewed base usual business, probably for another six months.
“Anambra State Government told us that the market leaders will not continue running on T.C system that they will conduct an election at the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent chairman which was this September, but the man wants to renew it again as against the promise made by Anambra State Government and the wish of the traders. This man wants to commit genocide.
The two-storey building he is erecting is not only illegal but substandard, that is, chief Nelson Ojukwu wants to endanger the lives of innocent traders. We have advised him to stop it, but he bluntly refused because of the money he hopes to gain. Worse still, some government officials are fully aware of it and decided to keep mute for they are only interested in the money that will be given to them.
Let me assure you one thing, the traders will continue to protest against it until Anambra State Government hears our voice.
A Marmont crowd was spotted chanting songs and carrying placards with the following inscriptions: stop the illegal structures, Government of Anambra State please conduct an election for us, we don’t want TC Chairman Again.
Some of the traders who spoke to the newsmen maintained that all they needed was for the Anambra State Government to come and conduct a fresh election for peace to reign.
Recall that six months ago there was a similar protest over the same issue, this has, however, kept peace far from the market, one could as well ask what could inform such an audacious decision by the government?
