Thousands of traders at Madueke Street and other adjoining markets
around Ochanja market, Onitsha, trooped to the streets yesterday in a
peaceful protest over threats by agents of the state government to
relocate them to Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
The aggrieved traders, who shut down their businesses in protest,
carried placards, which bore inscriptions like: “Anambra State House of
Assembly, Human Rights Organisations, come and help us”, “We are not
street traders, leave us alone because we are law abiding” We are
dealing in articles not provisions, cosmetics or bakery”, We did not
contribute money in building the market they want us to go to“,
Governor. Obiano, we voted for you, save our souls” etc.
Addressing reporters amidst protest songs chanted by the traders, patron
of the market, Chief Francis Ugboaja noted the traders had been doing
legitimate businesses in the area since 1985 but few years back, some
traders dealing in bakery materials, cosmetics and provisions allegedly
connived with other traders based in the North and built a market at
Ogbunike which they are forcing other traders to relocate in order to
fill up spaces for them.
He noted that the initial plan for some of their members to join in
building the market was thwarted by alleged mismanagement of funds
prompting them to remain where they are while there is an imminent
threat to chase them out of their business premises if they failed to
comply.
Another stakeholder in the market, Chief Herbert Iwuoha said that while
those who have shops in the Ogbunike market are free to join their
colleagues in the new market, it amounts to an infringement on their
rights to force some of them who didn’t contribute in building the
market and don’t own shops there to relocate to the site.
An elderly woman, Mrs. Agnes Nzekwe trading in rubber materials appealed
to Governor Willie Obiano to intervene in their plight, adding that any
forceful ejection of the thousands of traders eking out their living in
the area will bring untold hardship on the citizens.
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