By Rita Okonkwo:
A team from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry led by the Commissioner Dr. Obinna Ngonadi paid an unscheduled familiarization visit to the Building Materials Market Umuokpu Awka (Timber Shed) on August 17 to inspect the market and ascertain that activities being carried on in the market were in tandem with the vision of Prof Charles Soludo administration.
The visit paid off as lots of irregularities were discovered in the market, including a cartel of touts collecting illegal tolls at the entrance of the market.
On interrogation, they claimed they were collecting these tolls on behalf of the community, targeting delivery vehicles and trucks gaining entrance into the market.
Some of the touts were arrested by the Homeland Security Agents for further interrogation.
Dr Ngonadi who was in the company of the Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) Rev. Amaechi Okwuosa, said he received several reports from some Anambra citizens on the happenings around them especially as it concerns illegal collection of tolls and arbitrary constructions going on within the market.
“This is in line with the Governor’s statement ‘if you see something, say something’, and based on that information, we visited the timber market”.
The Commissioner noted that most of the designated parks in the market, had been sold off to individuals under different guises, and buildings which do not meet the minimum standard requirements that are supposed to be in any marke were being erected on the property.
Over 40 building constructions were found to be ongoing around the market, including plazas, stalls, warehouses and others whose purposes could not be ascertained.
According to the Commissioner, some traders while in a conversation said that the market executives conspired with some politicians to sell off some portions of the market spaces to developers at the rate of 30, 40, or 50 million naira each.
He made it clear that the leadership of the market who were expected to work in partnership with the government to modernize the market have proved to be a big disappointment.
On his part, the M/D of ACTDA Rev. Okwuosa who ordered the illegal buildings to be marked for demolition said that he is giving the owners an ultimatum of seven days to provide the approval for the structures and the original master plan of the market.
According to Okwuosa, the master plans will inform the decision on the areas that are in violation, and the extent of demolition to be carried out. “Failure to comply with the directives, we are going to remove whatever structure that has been marked”, he added.
The officer reports from Awka. (MOI)
