Electronic traders association rejects caretaker committee set up by Soludo in Onitsha

Traders and members of the Electronic Dealers Association Onitsha (EDAO), Anambra State have rejected the caretaker committee put in place by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run the affairs of the market.

The market executives had constituted electoral committee to conduct election for the various positions in the market association according to its constitution before government stopped it and constituted a caretaker committee.

The inauguration of the committee has thrown the market into confusion because members claimed it runs contrary to their constitution.

They also said that what they need is elected executives and not caretaker committee to run the affairs of the market.

Some of the stakeholders in the market who who spoke to our correspondent said that the government action is like throwing a bomb into a peaceful environment.

Speaking to journalists at Onitsha on Wednesday, Board of Trustees member of the market, Chief Ben Anyawu, stated they were disappointed by the government’s appointment of a caretaker committee.

According to him, the tenure of the sacked executive expired on July 13, 2022 and they are expecting election in the market which members had opted for as the normal thing.

He said: “After concluding all arrangements for the conduct of election, candidates have paid their required money and were screened, the next we heard was that government does not want election to be conducted in any of the Anambra markets.

“They inaugurated the caretaker committee on 29th of July in Awka, state capital without knowledge of members of the market.

“The caretaker committee was unveiled on 2nd of August 2022 without information and we thought they will present them to market on Wednesday being prayer meeting day, they did not.

“On Tuesday, when the former president unveiled the interim executives, many people were locked outside in the market around 8 am. The matter is still in the court and I don’t know what the government tends to gain.”

Also speaking the immediate past deputy president of the market, Chukwubuike Kama, said that court had given order that there should be status quo ante in the market pending the determination of suit at the high court over same issues.

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He expressed worry over the government failure to obey court order and impose caretaker committee on the market.

According to him, the immediate chairman of the market had constituted an electoral committee, and it called for those with interests to write applications with specific money and they have done that.

“I am one of those who indicated interest and I want to run for the chairmanship position. Fee for chairmanship position is N300,000, secretary, financial secretary and treasurer are N150,000 while other positions are N100,000.

“The executive had written to the government, civil society, police and others to come and observe the election. This is to ensure that the election is free, fair and peaceful.

“While waiting for them, the Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATA) wrote us that they want to put caretakers.

“This is a private market and the government has no investment in it. Our constitution does not give room for a caretaker committee. Presently, we are owing banks N300 million and we trying to see how we can pay it and somebody is imposing caretakers committee for us, it is not good,” he said.

He appealed to the governor to immediately intervene and save the market from the avoidable crisis, noting that bringing a caretaker committee to the market was enough to ignite a serious crisis because members do not want it.

The immediate past provost general who wanted to contest for public relations officer of the market, Ifechi Emmanuel Anozie said the government cannot impose a caretaker committee on the market because it did not contribute money to the building of the market.

“We built the market without any help from the government and the government has no right to tell us who will be our leaders. Government has set this market on fire by this very act,” he said.

According to him, everyone in the market wants an election and not a caretaker committee, noting that the imposition of a committee on members will lead to a serious implosion.

“I urged the governor to dissolve the caretaker committee immediately and fix date for the election in the market,” he said.

The new interim government Chairman of EDAO, Mr Ifeanyi Egwuenu, when contacted said that he was not in the mood to talk to the press.