Why I suspend 3 market leaders - ASMATA PG
By Tobias Ekirika, Onitsha
The President General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders' Association (ASMATA), Hon. Chief Humphrey Anuna, has indeed made some serious allegations against three market leaders. They've been accused of embezzling state government Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), illegally constructing shops, selling fake products, and other anti-market activities.
He named those three to include, the former chairman of Old Motor Spareparts market, Mgbuka Obosi/Idemili zonal chairman, Chief Emma Obiagwu, (now on suspension), Chairman of Ogbaru Relief Main market/chairman of Ogbaru zone, Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu and his Assistant secretary, Hon. Bucknor Agu.
Briefing newsmen at the ASMATA secretariat, the President General said that the trio also embarked on anti APGA activities aimed at frustrating the second tenure bid in office of Governor Chukwuma Soludo which prompted his suspending them as zonal Chairmen and subsequent substitution pending when they will repent their sins.
"Obiagwu committed a lot of atrocities, he collected levies from petty market women especially at Ugwuagba Obosi market which caused crisis between him and the market chairman, Chief Samuel Ifurunwa. Then he also collected IGR from zones 13, 14 and 10 of same market without remitting the IGR to the state government.
"To ensure he is not asked of the money, he stopped attending ASMATA meetings and poisoned the minds of other members of the ASMATA executives to stop attending meetings. As if that is not enough, he sent a petition to state government accusing me of embezzling #120million but was not able to proof his claim when asked by government to substantiate.
"We are waiting after the conduct of the council poll, he will give account of the forty something million naira he collected as IGR which he has not remitted to Government till date. They formed clique to attack government and my leadership through, 'Concerned Citizens Association,' scattered all over the state with headquarters in Onitsha," he further disclosed.
Also on the chairman of Ogbaru market, Ochiogu, he said, "My problem with him started when I told him that he was appointed as chairman not President General. That there is only one PG in ASMATA. I did not contest for my PG seat to warrant my extorting money from traders to replenish what I spent. I was appointed based on my past records.
"Government sent a letter through me for the demolition of illegal shops/structures at Ogbaru market and they were demolished. Ochiogu used the period of sit-at-home, to rebuilt the demolished shops, fenced and painted them, he allocated one shop to his assistant secretary, Bucknor Agu, that person we all know him, he deals in fake drinks and gets protection from Ochiogu.
"Bucknor felt offended since we partner with Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, because he felt we will expose him. His boss that is Ochiogu stopped attending meetings and his absence became worrisome as nobody to relate to those he represents in Ogbaru zone on resolutions or outcome of meetings and I have to suspend him and replace him with Chief David Obidike, a market chieftain.
"Same suspension went to Obiagwu of Idemili zone. These three market leaders because I refused their illegal activities accused me of trying to frustrate Governor Soludo's second tenure bid. We are not campaigning for the governor rather we are supporting him because his achievements in the state are enough to speak for him. They are there for everybody to see. This is eye mark not ear mark," he stated.
Reacting, the ASMATA Secretary, Hon. Marcaulay Ekwe, (a.k a. Teacher)) said he saw the allegations against PG as coming from opposition, adding that the PG has within two years did a lot to better the welfare of traders.
"Some of the market chairmen assumed Gods, righteousness, and they constitute themselves as cabals to work against the leadership of the PG. Holistically all allegations leveled against the PG are false.
"The assistant secretary of Ogbaru market, Bucknor, who is attacking the PG ASMATA, is he PDP or APC, he doesn't belong to anywhere. He is nether here nor there.. my PG is APGA and Mr Governor is happy with him.the PG is here to pass the policies and programmes of the state government to traders.. the #30000 for public markets and #17500 for private markets is a directive from government.
"When PG pleaded that because of the present socio-economic and political quagmire that the money be postponed to next year for payment, it was most of the market Chairmen that said no, that they are prepared that government should carry on. Most of the leaders are not properly informed," he affirmed.
In a swift reaction when contacted, Chief Ochiogu said when he came to the ASMATA secretariat that the PG and former chairman of Mgbuka Obosi market and Idemili zonal chairman, Chief Emmanuel Obiagwu, were in a hitted argument and he (Ochiogu), advised the PG to be careful with the opposition who may like to thwart the council election, to be calm until after the election.
"Then PG told me that he has my own letter of suspension as Ogbaru zonal chairman and handed it over to me. I thanked him on collection of the letter and left. It is only SPAD that I have told what happened, no other person until after this election then I will meet SPAD face to face on the issue," he stated.
On the allegation that he (Ochiogu) built shops after the demolition of illegal structures at a portion in Ogbaru market, he maintained that the structures were erected by the state government through the office of SPAD and not himself.
"It is the government that built the shops through SPAD, not Ochiogu.It is SPAD that told the PG to demolish the illegal structures.So as journalist you are free to get to SPAD and find out who built the shops, it is government, I only supervised because it is in my market, he further explained.
Ochiogu's statement regarding the allegation of answering President General instead of Chairman seems to be specific to the Relief Market's constitution.
According to him, "the constitution states that every chairman should be addressed as President General, which implies that he's not competing with the President General of ASMATA.
Also on allegation of faking of products by his assistant secretary, Hon. Bucknor Agu, he denied the allegation but admitted that he (Agu), did that some 10 years ego but has stopped it based on his petition to government that he should be sacked for faking when he is a market leader.
"He has sworn never to continue with such faking and has his shop where they sell spices, he has no shop in the disputed portion as alleged by ASMATA PG. Again whenever we have our ASMATA meetings we stay from 10am to 6pm and the PG will lock the door so that nobody will go. Is it how it should be done. In the time of his predecessor, Hon. Okwudili Ezenwankwo, was it done that way.
In his own defence, Chief Emmanuel Obiagwu, while thanking journalists for his own reaction, said that he accused the PG of looking for unsubstantiated allegations to pull him down adding that his allegations are fabricated.
"Thanks for giving me fair hearing, he looks for unsubstantiated allegations against me. His allegations are fabricated, I like living above board for tomorrow. I have on records discussions between me and PG and in the other hand between me and Mgbuka Obosi chairman, to tell you that the allegations are fabricated. They want to throw me into the pit," he stated.
Mr. Sunday Christian, chairman of zone 14 of Ugwuagba market accused Obiagwu of collecting #200,000 cash, from him as IGR which Obiagwu, in his defence said all levies both in cash and through the bank were remitted to government irrespective of sources and directed newsmen to visit AIRS for confirmation.
Obiagwu added that, "petty market women at the dump site at Mgbuka market were asked to pay #15,000 but market chairman, Samuel Ifurunwa intervened and they paid #5,000. All Ifurunwa said are false and fabricated against me. I was the one that purchased the waste disposal tipper but Ifurunwa claimed he purchased it. He wanted to extend collection of IGR beyond the market but was stopped.
Two IGR payment receipts from the petty women
"His men worked with me for nine months and abandoned me because I refused to share levies collected in the enforcement of IGR payment. My efforts increased the market IGR from #34million in 2022 to #43million in 2023.
"In conclusion our problem with PG is that he eats the three per cent IGR meant for ASMATA alone and that is why he has problem with us. We are projecting about #6o million if we collect the money we expect as our three per cent in 2022," he Stated.
In his own contribution, the chairman of Mgbuka Obosi market, Chief Ifurunwa, accused Chief Obiagwu of illegally collecting 2022/2023 market IGR.
"I told him we will give him two people from the market that will work with him but he refused. He collected levy from petty market women who cried and came to my office. Governor Soludo said he exempted them from levy payment. I was the one that removed the ribbon tape he used to barricade their tables, as he demanded that they must pay. Then they paid #5,ooo instead of #15 demanded earlier by Obiagwu.
"Obagwu told some zonal chairmen that they have faults in their zones and as such should come to his house and they came and coughed out #200000, #300000 and above, as the case may be and it was later that those extorted told me their ordeal in the hands of Obiagwu.
"I want to appeal to the state government not to contract 2024 enforcement of IGR again to Obiagwu because of what victims went through in his hand," he pleaded.
However, spokespersons of the about eight petty women, Mrs. Agatha Anyanwu and Eunice Ogidi, admitted that they paid #5,000 to Obiagwu when Soludo said that they should not be levied adding that most of them are widows who have no other means of livelihood.
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