By Uzo Ugwunze
In the wake of the inauguration of the Special Anti-touting Squad in Anambra (SASA) last Monday by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, with the mandate to eliminate touts from Anambra markets and roads, the market leaders, represented by the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA), have committed to collaborating with SASA to achieve this goa
During the general Congress of all the major markets in Anambra State held at the ASMATA Secretariat on Modebe Avenue, Onitsha, President General of ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, urged market leaders to cease issuing unauthorized tolls, especially to hawkers, barrow pushers, and customers.
"I have been striving to protect the interests and welfare of the traders, ensure government revenues are remitted promptly, and maintain peace in the markets," Chief Anuna stated. "Let us all cooperate with Professor Soludo's efforts to combat touting. He is well-educated and has the best interests of Ndi Anambra at heart. This is a welcome development."
Anuna also issued a warning: "Today, we have invited SASA and various revenue collection agents authorized by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) to educate us on how to identify touts or fake revenue collectors. Do not hesitate to report any tout operating within your market area. I will not allow any market leader found guilty to implicate me before the governor."
Additionally, Celestine Anere, Managing Director of Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State (OCHA) brigade, emphasized Governor Soludo's commitment to removing any market leadership involved in touting by March 2024. He also stressed the importance of environmental sanitation and drainage maintenance for market areas to avoid closure.
Deputy Director of SASA Operations, Mr. Monday Nwokoye, stated that the anti-touting squad had already apprehended over 64 suspected touts within 24 hours of its inauguration and was determined to root out touts and their syndicates throughout the state.
During their respective speeches, Chief Ken Nwankwo of Bigly Oil and Gas, Hon. Obiora Offor, Unified Hybrid Enforcement Team (UHBET) AIRS Central Coordinator, and Hon. Chiejina Obieze, North Coordinator and SSA to the Governor on Security, outlined the only approved internally generated revenue (IGR) collection methods in the markets. They emphasized that their staff would always be in uniform with identity cards and POS machines as per the governor's directives, and anyone who couldn't properly identify themselves or engaged in public altercations should be treated as a tout.
ASMATA Patron, Chief Jude Nwankwo (Ochendo Umuawulu), and other market leaders stressed the state government's commitment to preventing extortion from petty traders and customers. They encouraged market leaders to cooperate with SASA in identifying touts operating outside the markets, tarnishing the image of most markets.
Several market leaders, including PG Relief Market's Chief Ndubuisi Ochiogu, Chairman of Nkpor Main Market Mr. Paul Okafor, PG of Onitsha Main Market Chief Innocent Ikechukwu Ezeoha, and Hon. Charles Ikeli, Chairman of Amalgamated Tyre Dealers Association (ATDA) in Nkpor, commended the efforts against touting and revealed that these touts primarily engaged in illegal revenue collection outside the markets, where market leaders had limited authority to intervene. They expressed their determination to eliminate touting activities soon.
"In some cases, market leaders are threatened when trying to stop these activities by market host communities," Okafor explained. Ochiogu added, "Touts are not within the market but around it. Empowering market leaders will deter these touts from misbehaving in areas like Ogbaru, Upper Iweka, or Nkpor flyover."
Mr. Macaulay Ekwe, ASMATA Secretary, Chief Charles Okoye, Assistant Secretary, Chief Emma Obiagwu, ASMATA Idemili Zonal Chairman, and Chief Eric Uwaoma, ASMATA Chairman of the Onitsha zone, confirmed ASMATA's commitment to eradicating touting, which is predominantly perpetrated by both locals and non-locals.
Post a Comment