From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The President General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders’ Association (ASMATA), Chief Humphrey Anuna has been advised to remain focused and ignore detractors.
He is also advised to be mindful of the antics of those who are suspected of being out to tarnish his image by causing crisis in the markets, thereby frustrating the efforts of Governor Charles Soludo to restore the lost glory of markets in the State.
The traders who are mostly from New Auto Spare Parts Market, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area, expressed surprise that one of the aggrieved traders had since his defeat, continued to portray the image of the market and executive in bad light.
To buttress their claim, they said that the aggrieved trader rushed to a radio house and accused the leadership of the market of extorting N4,000 extra from traders, apart from official N7,400 each trader paid as government tax, when the accuser knew that the alleged collection of N4,000 was never true but just targeted to tarnish the image of the market leadership.
“As if that is not enough, just few days ago the same person boasted to the traders that the ASMATA PG has authorised him to start to collect stallage fees, of which he has started collecting, thereby usurping the functions of the elected market executive, all in a bid to cause crisis in our peaceful market.
“Most traders in the market have documented proof of shops he claimed that he collected the fees from, on behalf of the ASMATA PG, whereas he is not a market executive, whose responsibility it is to collect stallage fees and send to State Government.
“Again, that same person accused the State Government of issuing approval for the construction of shops on top of existing shops, dragged the executive to an Idemili High court and was defeated. Now he has gone to Appeal court to challenge his defeat.
“So the various government agencies should bewary of such a person who drags the State Government and his market leadership to court as he wants to involve them in fighting the State government for his selfish interest.
“The block chairmen who serve as revenue collectors in their various blocks, advised the PG to immediately discontinue whatever transaction and dealings he has with some of the traders before it can be late as one of them boasts around the market that State Government through ASMATA PG, has directed him to collect government tax in the market.
“Who is he to collect stallage fees for State Government when the executive is there.
“At present this market leads in terms of payment of government tax in Idemili. Out of about 1200 shops, about 1110 shops have paid their taxes to government and the records are there for all to see, ” said one of the elders in the market, Chief Okeke.
Contacted at the ASMATA secretariat along Modebe Avenue, the PG declined comment on the issues raised, saying that the defeated chairman and the executive are in court.