Chinedum Elekwachi
Traders in International Electronics Market, Ogbaru, near Onitsha, Anambra State on Friday protested increased stallage levy allegedly imposed on them by the state government.
Some of the protesting traders carried placards with the inscriptions, “We don’t need caretaker committee any longer”. “We need election, we need account of stewardship.”
Others are, “We need election, enough is enough”. “We are being exploited by the imposed levy from #17,500 to #32,500 stallage levy yearly.”
Speaking to newsmen, spokesperson of the protesters, Chijioke Okafor said, “We don’t understand the leadership of this market, Soludo appointed caretaker committee, from there to administrators.
“We need conduct of election and if it is not done we will not vote for Governor Soludo for second tenure because he is a product of election.
“Why can’t he conduct election for us. We will frustrate his election for second tenure.
“Ab-initio we were paying #5,500, that was during the era of former governor Willie Obiano. Soludo’ came and it was increased to #17,500, and now #32,500.
“A market that is a private market like Ogboefele that is paying #9,000 yearly, so this is wickedness.
“The market leadership said if we don’t pay #32,500, our shops will be locked up and we will pay fine after paying the #32,500.
“That is why we embarked on the protest to tell the government that it is an imposition on us.
“While we were protesting, one of us was arrested by Soludo’s security operatives, who also confiscated the loud speaker we used for the protest.
“It was later released to us as we insisted that the loud speaker must be given back to us.”
