By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Electronic Dealers Association Onitsha EDAO, Anambra State have sounded a note of warning to Governor Charles Soludo that they would not accept imposition of caretaker leadership into the market.
The traders whose market executives had constituted Electoral Committee to conduct election for the various positions in the market according to it's constitution, regretted that government moved to stop it and even constituted a caretaker committee.
The inauguration of the committee sparked off war and confusion into the market because members claimed it runs contrary to their constitution.
According to the Board of Trustees member of the market, Chief Ben Anyawu, they were disappointed by the government appointment of caretakers committee because the tenure of the sacked executive expired on 13 July 2022 and they were expecting a fresh election.
"After concluding all arrangements for the conduct of election,candidate have paid their required money and screened the next we heard was that government does not want election to be conducted in any of Anambra market. But government inaugurated a caretaker committee on 29th of July in Awka state capital without knowledge of members of the market.
"The caretaker committee was unveiled on 2nd of August 2022 without information and we thought they will present them to market on Wednesday being prayer meeting day unfortunately, they did not . On Tuesday when the former president unveiled the interim executives, many people were lucked outside in the market around 8am. The matter is still in the court and I don't know what the government tend to gain," he stated.
Also speaking the immediate past deputy president of the market, Mr Chukwubuike Kama said that court had given order that there should be status quo in the market pending the determination of suit at the high over same issues .
" I am one of those who indicated interest and I want to run for the chairmanship position. Fee for chairmanship position is N300,000, Secretary, financial Secretary,and treasurer are N150,000 while other positions are N100,000. The executive had written to government, civil society, police and others to come and observe the election .This is to ensure that the election is free, fair and peaceful.
"While waiting for them, the Anambra State Market Almagamated Traders Association, AMATA, wrote us that they want to install caretakers. This is a private market and government has no investment in it . Our constitution does not give room for caretakers committee. Presently,we are owing banks N300 million and we are trying to see how we can pay it and some body is imposing caretakers committee for us. It is not good," he stated.
He appealed to governor Charles Soludo to immediately intervene and save the market from avoidable crisis, noting that bringing caretakers committee to the market was enough to ignite serious crisis because members do not want it