By Our Reporter
After four years without leadership at the Odera Market in Awka, the Traders have petitioned the governor, Chukwuma Soludo, demanding a Caretaker Committee or fix democratic election date.
The Traders expressed dismay with the vacuum in the leadership of the market four years after the tenure of the last Chairman, Emmanuel Nwonwu expired in February 2020.
The petition from the Stakeholders was addressed to the State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce.
It was entitled, ” Notification of Decisions…. on Vacuum/non-existent Market Leadership for about Four Years ,Usurpation/Impersonation of Chairmanship Office by someone, alleged Diversion of Market Funds and Endorsement of Call for Emergence of Caretaker Committee/Elected Odera Market Executives,,”
They called on government to appoint a Caretaker Committee for Odera Market to serve for three months.
It was signed by the Grand Patron, and pioneer Market Chairman, Ozo Chinweze Ijomah; ex-Chief Security Officer, Hon. Humphrey Onuorah,and other stakeholders including Chief Ikechukwu Ugwuoke, Comrade Emeka Obi and Hon. Valentine. Nweke.
They contended that the unsafe and insecure atmosphere in the market was attributable to absence of market leadership.
The stakeholders, therefore called on the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led administration to urgently address the vacuum and non-existent market leadership by appointing a Caretaker Committee for Odera Market Awka soonest
As an alternative, the traders further urged the government to schedule a date for the conduct of democratic election for emergence of the Odera Market Executives as soon as feasibly possible.
“That the non-existent leadership of OSCMTA since February 2nd 2020 has been capitalized upon by some persons to illegally assume and hijack power in order to continue to recycle themselves in the leadership positions, using such opportunity to hoodwink unwary traders, government and members of the public and abuse office, extort money, erect and sell illegal structures in the market through corrupt enrichment and conversion of shop rents into personal use and misappropriate market funds.
