The Anambra State Government has warned traders at the Onitsha Bridge Head Drug Market, popularly known as Ogbo Ogwu, that disobeying the directives of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the state government, and the leadership of the market, will result in their being forced to leave the market.

Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo issued the warning through his Senior Special Adviser on Markets, Chief Evarestus Ubah, who also cautioned troublemakers disturbing the Ndubisi Chukwuleta-led leadership of the Market Caretaker Committee to refrain from further disturbances in the market, as they would have themselves to blame.

Chief Ubah who was in the market to commissioning a 500 KVA transformer procured for the market by the Chukwuleta-led Caretaker Committee of the market, said that the Governor was satisfied with the leadership style of the Market’s current administration, and warned that the state government would not tolerate any act of indiscipline from the traders especially those who engage in breaking shops sealed by the leadership of the market due to their owners’ involvement in illicit drug dealings.

The Chukwuleta administration has been having running battles with some traders who were allegedly banned from entering for illicit drug dealing, who have reappeared in the market and have been engaging in illicit drug dealings and breaking the shops of illicit drug dealers sealed in the market by the leadership of the market Caretaker Committee.

However, addressing the traders shortly after the weekly Market Evangelism Prayers, Chief Ubah said that the Anambra State government was satisfied with the measures that the leadership of the market had put in place to sanitize the market of fake, expired and substandard drugs, and warned those opposing the Caretaker Committee to leave the market or comply with the directives of NAFDAC, the State, and the leadership of the market as headed by Chukwuleta.

Ubah noted that 99 percent of the traders in the market had shown commitment to ensuring the eradication of illicit drug trade in the market and warned that it would not allow one percent of disgruntled elements in the market who are allegedly backed by illicit drug merchants, to cause trouble in the market and prompt NAFDAC to close the market again.

According to Ubah, “Ndubisi Chukwuleta-led Caretaker Committee is doing well in the fight against fake, expired and substandard drugs in this market, the administration is also doing well in the internal revenue generation to the state, the government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the Solution government, will not tolerate distraction of the Caretaker Committee leadership by traders causing trouble in this market. If we catch anyone who breaks the law, and their shop is sealed, and they continue to cause trouble and break the keys used to seal the shop, we will seal the shop indefinitely.

“Traders must comply with the directives of NAFDAC in this market; traders must also comply with the directives of the leadership of the market, and any levy that the government is collecting, everybody must pay it. Nobody is above the law.

“Governor Soludo appointed people who were asked to run the markets in the state, and some are not doing what the Governor said, but the Chairman of the Ogbogwu and his Caretaker Committee are doing well.

“Ogbogwu has 21 members on the executive. We understand that Ogbogwu has the highest number of members on the executive because the Governor wanted to accommodate as many as possible to ensure sanity in the market. My one principle is that any leader in the market must have a shop in the market.

“Anybody who does not have a shop in this market has no business being a member of the executive. We understand that the individuals causing trouble in the market do not own any shops in the market and therefore can afford to disrupt the market. However, we will not allow them.

“Ogbogwu is a government-owned market, and you must pay Government tax, and nobody should go against the law of the market and the regulatory agency. Those who break the key used to seal up the shop by the market leadership should be aware that they are breaking the law. This is the last warning; we will take action against them very soon.

“Allocation of shops to them is an opportunity to trade in the shop. The government can revoke the ownership of a shop and give it to another person. If you can’t stay in this market and play by the rules, you should go out of the market and rent a shop, and you can’t rent a shop and do what you want there, you will also comply with the law, or you go in for breaking the law.

“Since the Chairman of this market came in, Ogbo Ogwu has been consistent in the revenue expected of it from the government, in fact, the amount the market is paying to the government is more than the money the entire Head Bridge Markets are paying the government.

“The people who lead the opposition to the present administration in this market are the people who do not have shops in the market. They don’t have anything at stake, and therefore, can afford to cause trouble and lose nothing.

“The government decides what to do in this market. Traders cannot tell government how the market will be run. If they want change in government in the market, they should wait for election to change the government. They should not be allowed to take laws into their hands. “After the Governorship election there will be election of executives in this market, but it will be contested by people who have shops and pay stallage fees and other levies, not non-shop owners.”

Also speaking during the commissioning of the 500 KVA transformer, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Fegge Police Station, Mr. Richard Nnamdi, said the Police was ready to protect lives and property in the market, and warned troublemakers to leave as they would not be accommodated in the market.

“I’m here for everybody. Am here to discharge my duties, which is to protect your lives and properties, your shop and your life. Our duty is to ensure that there is law and order. If you are not satisfied with any situation report to the Police or you go to court. My duty is to protect everybody. Be law abiding citizen.”

Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government, Mr. Emeka Orji, regretted that even after he has called the opposition in the market to order, they still continued to make trouble that could hurt the traders and their business.

“There is a Chairman in Ogbogwu. It is true that there was problem that made us to sign agreement for peace, but I understand some people are not heeding to our agreement, they are still trying to cause trouble in the market. We will swoop on them soon if they don’t refrain from their unlawful activities.

In his remarks at the commissioning of the transformer, Chukwuleta assured that his administration would always obey the directives of NAFDAC and the Anambra State government, adding that his leadership would not engage in activities that threaten the existence of peace and market activities. (Vanguard)

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