By Okechukwu Okechukwu
Traders in Ajassa Market, Onitsha in Anambra State, have lamented over alleged influx of touts masquerading as state government agents to over tax them on daily basis.
The Chairman of the market, Mr Chima Ohia, who disclosed this while interacting with officials of the State Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Awka, explained that the touts always arrive with intimidations, and they usually succumbed to avoid crisis.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo had since inception of his administration banned touting and illegal collection of revenues from traders.
According the Ohia, some people from Ose were also laying claims to the ownership of Ajassa market, which he noted had been in existence since 1960 alongside those in Ose.
"Ajassa had been on it's own until recently, some greedy persons from Ose mobilized themselves and began to encroach on the market territory, dominating them to be out from existence," he noted.
He appealed to governor Chukwuma Soludo to intervene on the matter by making the market autonomous, as well as to decongest it so as to encourage free flow of humans and vehicles.