Anselem Anokwute
Traders at the popular Naze International Cluster Market in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo have reiterated their unflinching support and Vote of Confidence in their Chairman,Hon. Uchenna Anaege fondly called “Oil Money”.
Reacting to a frivolous and blackmail against the Authentic Chairman,Hon. Anaege by some disgruntled traders in the Market who falsified claims to be the Executives members of the market through a publication captioned,”sack Naze Cluster Market Chairman now, Uzodimma told” published by one of the Imo State based newspapers, the traders expressed happiness over Hon. Anaege led administration of the Market.
Speaking to newsmen,a Retired Senior Police Officer who turned a trader and Chairman of Conflicts Resolution and Dispute Management Committee Naze International Cluster Market Owerri, High Chief Kingsley Chukwuezi described the situation as a fight to return the market back to darkness maintaining that the current Executives under,Hon.Anaege(Oil Money) has done well by recording meaningful development as well as restoring peace in the Market.
He warned detractors to leave Hon. Uchenna Anaege alone so as to enable him record more achievements.
In a swift reaction, the Secretary of Naze International Cluster Market, Mr. Ugochukwu Njoku said that traders are intact and peaceful,except for few individuals who are causing trouble by trying to use the name of the Executive to extort money from their fellow traders,a situation that prompted the Chairman,Hon. Uchenna Anaege to relief them from their positions and appointed other people with good records to replace them.
According to him, the Market under their watch has witnessed a tremendous developments including clearing of refuse dumped over the years, dredging and fillings with concrete in all the internal roads ,erosion control construction,building of public toilets facilities and 24 hours security of the market.
“Others are restoration of peace and eradication of monopoly through kicking against formation of illegal unionism and constant quarrel among the traders over multiplicity of stalls ownership and organization of the Market Free Zone in a good shape”.
Mr Njoku said that the Executives of Naze International Cluster Market Owerri are united and together under Comrade Uchenna Anaege leadership.
On her contributions, the Welfare Officer of the Market, Mrs Stella Ogwudire said that she felt like crying over the allegations against her Chairman Comrade Uchenna Anaege and described the authors of the publication as evil people working against the good intentions of the Market.
Responding, Comrade Uchenna Anaege fondly called Oil Money said that the reason he invited Newsmen to the Market was to create room for independent investigations in the matter. He said that the Market is peaceful and business owners are enjoying his tenure but those without shops and goods to sell are only thinking how to enrich their pockets through others.
He explained that the only levy always paid by the traders are the ones generally accepted by the Market to ensure security and maintenance of the Market on regular basis.
According to him, the issue of the blackmail is coming from few individuals including his former Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee Chairman,Mr. Ikechukwu Ezenwa who was busy using his name to intimidate and extort money from the innocent members of the Market.
He maintained that none of the name in the newspaper publication was among the Executives of the Market and wondered how a media establishment will go ahead on such publication without balancing the reports.
On the issue of selling of shops,Hon. Anaege said that the shops are not in his hands to sale as it is under purveyors of Imo State Amalgamated Market and Traders Association,ISAMATA.
While he explained that his development profile in the market is so high as it intimidates his detractors including the five days grading of the Market internal roads to make it well conducive for traders and customers as well as motorists.
