By Jude Michael
The Anambra State Government has accused newspaper vendors operating in Awka of blackmailing it with the recent attempt of officials of the state government to enforce ban on street trading.
Officials of Awka Capital Territory Development Agency (ACTDA) had on Thursday and Friday destroyed and confiscated some newspapers displayed on the stand by vendors.
The officials said there was a standing order to stop all forms of street trading, but the vendors insisted that the officials were targeting newspapers that were critical of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The Anambra State Government in a press release by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Press Secretary, Mr Christian Aburime, however said the accusation was an attempt to blackmail the government.
Aburime in the press release he made available to journalists in Awka said: ‘It has been observed with concern, the resort to needless uproar and untrue allegations by the news vendors within Awka Capital Territory, regarding the enforcement of regulations related to street vending.
‘The truth is, while the state government understands the vital role the media plays in a healthy democracy and appreciates the contributions of news vendors, it cannot allow any act of violations of public order on the pretext of street vending.
‘The Awka Capital Territory, like any other capital city, has its Master Plan for proper development and it is the government’s primary responsibility to ensure public safety and order for all residents and visitors within the city.
‘Unfortunately, unregulated street vending, particularly on major roads, has become a public nuisance, whereby vendors occupying roadways not only deface the environment but also impede the free flow of traffic, causing delays and frustration for commuters.’
He said the Anambra Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, had undertaken efforts to address the problem by restricting the activities of news vendors to designated areas.
He complained that the newspaper vendors who also operate POS centres, sell snacks by the roadside, noting that it violated the ban on street trading which the state government would not tolerate.
