By Jude Michael
Following an end to the Monday Sit-at-home in Anambra State phenomenon in Anambra State, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Trade and Markets, Hon. Evarist Uba, says the state, before now, lost over 8 billion Naira every Monday.
The Special Adviser who stated this in his office in Awka while fielding questions from newsmen, commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for constructing access roads in all the major markets in the state, saying that with the measures being put in place by Gov Soludo to end the monster, in no distant time, Monday Sit-at-home would be a thing of the past.
He noted that the shutting down of Onitsha Main Market and Nnewi Auto Spare Parts Market and the re-opening of them had sent strong warnings to other traders in other markets that similar punishment could be meted out to them if they failed to comply.
Reeling his achievements since he was appointed into the position in 2023, Chief Uba said peace had been restored across all the markets since the Governor took over the mantle of leadership, noting that he came into the office following the resignation of the former Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Chimaobi Ngonadi.
‘Shortly after his resignation, the Ministry was divided and the Trade and Markets was separated from Industry. When I took over, I tried to attend to the problems and issues due to the fact that I was a one-time Chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area.
‘Before I came in, there had been some markets that had caretaker committee members, so I maintained them. And I said if you are good and you are handling the markets well, you stay put, if you are not handling the markets well, we remove you,’ Chief Uba stated.
The SPAD reiterated that the previous caretaker committee members in the markets turned it into political offices, but he developed a policy that caretaker committee chairmen must be traders in those markets. And not only being traders in those markets but traders with identifiable shops.
‘Because, if you are a trader in that market, you should be able to know the issues your fellow traders have and protect the traders you are superintending and also carry out any government directives in terms of collection of government revenues to avoid some traders trying to evade paying the appropriate revenues despite having the money,’ he said.
The ex-council boss noted that Gov Soludo had tried in terms of assuaging the problems of the traders, stressing that when he came on board, one of the pillars of his government was to make Anambra State a destination point and no longer a departure lounge. And also a pleasurable place for people to come, trade, and enjoy, noting that it necessitated the creation of access roads to major markets in the state.
He said that Gov Soludo cleared a huge refuse dump at Ochanja Roundabout and put a water fountain there, adding that Soludo constructed Iweka Road to Moore Street to Main Market, from Bridgehead to Niger Street to Sokoto Road to Main Market, and that those access roads were done to enable traders have access to Main Market that used to be blocked during market days and festive seasons.
He added that the Governor constructed Bank Road, Nnewi, which traversed the Nnewi Auto Spare Parts Market and Adili Hotel Road to Building Materials Road, making everybody happy.
Hon. Uba further stated that the ongoing demolition of Onitsha Main Market was in tandem with Gov Soludo’s mantra of “If you cannot park, you cannot shop”.
‘You cannot even drive from Old Market Road to Main Market on a market day because the whole place is always blocked. It is only a strong person that can park about half a kilometer away and then take a tricycle and get close to Main Market and not right inside the Main Market,’ he said.
He also said Soludo wanted to construct parks at the Main Market so that things would be properly done, and also put a stop to disappearance of some wheelbarrow pushers with the goods of some traders during festive seasons.
On the issue of relocation of Special Markets in Anambra State, Chief Uba said Anambra had relocated three markets to new sites.
‘8 unions of Iron Dealers have been moved to KM 8 Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Umunya; Shoe Dealers have been moved to Nkwerre-Ezunaka; and Foods and Vegetables Market, which used to be close to Army Barracks, has been moved to Ogbaru Market,’ he said.
He also said the Anambra State Government would soon enact a new Anambra State Market Law which would help to bring sanity and orderliness in markets just like the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025.
