By Jude Michael
At least one person reportedly escaped death as leaders of market unions in Anambra State under the aegis of Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), engaged in a physical fight.
It was gathered that the fight was over the sharing of three percent of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which accrues to the union for the running of markets.
One of the leaders of the market, and current chairman of the association, Idemili Zone, Chief Emmanuel Obiagwu, escaped being killed after thugs loyal to the President General of the union, Chief Humphrey Anuna, attacked him.
Obiagwu narrated his ordeal during a visit by this paper, saying he was beaten like a common criminal after he demanded transparency and accountability from the ASMATA President General for funds collected.
He said: ‘The unfortunate incident happened on 3rd October, 2024, at about 12:15pm at the ASMATA’s premises, No. 56 Modebe Avenue, Odakpu, Onitsha, shortly after I demanded to know why I and other executive members of the association were suspended.
‘I demanded that the three percent Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) meant for members welfare should be saved in the association’s account and not in the private account of the President General.
‘While I was being beaten, N135, 000 which I had on me was stolen. I narrowly escaped death. I have reported the matter to the Central Police Station Onitsha and Zone 13 Police Headquarters, Ukpo, for proper investigation.’
Obiagwu called on the governor of the state, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to intervene on the matter to avoid bloodshed.
He said: ‘Your Excellency, since our appointment on 1st December, 2022, we have not relented in doing our best to see that your government succeeds in its endeavors, particularly in the area of revenue generation, sanitation and orientation.
‘But the Anuna leadership style has made it almost impossible for the offices to work as they should. He sidelined the Financial Secretary, the Treasurer, the Secretary, the Welfare Officer.
‘As a result, everyone is in darkness as regards what is happening in ASMATA. If any person raises any question, the President-General will say that the Governor mandated him to choose the people that will serve him and not work with him and as such not accountable to the executive. We want our governor to intervene.’
When approached for his reaction, the ASMATA President General, Chief Anuna, denied all the allegations, saying Obiagwu was suffering from nemesis.
‘The evil things he has committed are against him. What Mr Obiagwu is alleging is nothing but lies from the pit of hell. Our major concern now is to commence wide mobilization for Soludo’s second term bid, come 2025.
‘Some people who call themselves concerned citizens have been fighting us and alleging all manner of things against us.
‘Truth is that our leadership has done a lot. We have been able to stop all channels of revenue leakages through which the so-called ‘’concerned citizens’’ shortchanged the government and ensured that every money accruable to the Anambra Government got to it.
‘My Administration has been able to check their nefarious activities; they are also in the habit of not implementing government policies but we are making sure that traders become part of the civil society.
‘The allegations of increase in levies are a hoax, it is just a reaction to the way we ensured that every money collected in the name of government goes to the government, that is why we have been able to increase remittance to government from N400 million to N4.2 billion per annum,’ he said.
