– Pleads with Tinubu, Soludo for help
Our Reporter
Traders at the popular and closed Ogbogwu market in Onitsha, Anambra state, have protested the continued lock up of the market and death of five of their members, while some others are hospitalized
They alleged that their deaths were as a result of the closure of the market by the National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC
They therefore, pleaded with President Bola Tinubu and the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo to come to their aide
The protest by the traders took place Tuesday at the entrance gate of the market, with placards with various inscriptions
The protesters stated that the import of their action is to remind the President, Soludo, the NAFDAC Director General, Prof Moji Adeyeye, civil society organisations, media and the general public that Ogbogwu drug market Onitsha is still under lock and key as against the reopening report of the enforcement agency.
They alleged that NAFDAC asked them to pay two million naira each for profiling before they would be allowed to open their shops officially, adding that the agency did not provide them a prior noticed before the enforcement exercise.
In their statement which they made available during the protest to reporters and signed by the National Convener/Secretary of Concerned Genuine Members of Ogbogwu Drugs Market, Mr Ifeanyi Chinedu and Mr Emmanuel Ozoemena
” That we challenge the federal government to set up a high powered panel of enquiry to investigate the goods carted away in, over 60 trailer loads with the aim of ascertaining the veracity of the claims of overzealous Director General of NAFDAC and some of her corrupt officials.
“That the claims by NAFDAC officials that our various shops were being searched in our presence are another set of malicious and fabricated lies meant to carpet their heinous crime of barbaric breaking, entering , searching and loathing of someone’s shop in his absence including boutiques and wine shops in the market in this 21st century and democratic world.
“That we reject in it’s entirety the criminal fines imposed on us by NAFDAC and call on the federal minister of health and National Security Adviser , the National Assembly to come to our rescue.
“That the claims by NAFDAC that Ogbogwu drug market has been reopened since February are lies , malicious, unprofessional , victimization aimed at grounding the source of livelihood of South Easterners when political alienation seems not to be working.
That we demand the immediate and unconditional reopening of the market to genuine business men and women of Ogbogwu drug market to ascertain the level of loathing bequeathed on genuine business men and women in the market” among others
