BusinessLocal GovernmentSPECIAL REPORT: Relief Market, Nnewi Has a Master Plan- Uruagu Youths

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By Ononuju Egwuonye, Staff Writer

NNEWI — The commercial city of Nnewi was shut down on the 4th of August, 2021 by a group of male youths under the auspices of Uruagu youths forum who embarked on a peaceful protest around strategic points of the ancient town of Nnewi north.

They went to the palaces of all the four traditional institutions in the only one- town Local Government Area of Anambra State to express their grievances. Some of the placards they carried had the following inscriptions: “Agbo Edo Market is not for Sale”; “Agbo Edo Market has a master plan”;” unknown people will not take over our market”; Say no to illegal deals, Uruagu Nnewi Market is not for sale” etc.

Photo: Nnewi Relief Market(F-line), Agbo Edo, Nkwo Nnewi

Fielding questions from The West African Pilot News, Nnewi, the President General of Uruagu youths Forum, Mr. Darlington Obi expressed dismay at the abysmal condition of the market which is a disruption to buying and selling activities.

He advised those behind the shady deals of allocating spaces to individuals to build their shops in approved units to desist from such unholy acts because Uruagu Youths will not watch them mess the market up by attaching other structures to the initial master plan of the relief market.: “Come and pack your cement, come and pack your rods…… ” the youth leader said.

Mr. David Okafor- Agu (Jnr), a key member of Uruagu youth forum decried the unlawful act and said markets belong to the government. However, it is the duty of the citizens to protect the markets allocated to any town from abuse, attack, mismanagement of any kind.  Mr. Okafor Agu who is also an adviser to the governor of Anambra state said he was rightfully informed that the state government has no hand in this shady business. He reiterated that the youths will not fold their arms and watch unknown people parading themselves as government agents embezzle people’s hard-earned money under the guise of allocating spaces for shops to them which is not feasible. He assured traders that nobody will hijack the market unlawfully under his watch.

Photo: The Nnewi Relief Market(F-line), Agbo Edo, Nkwo Nnewi with a section with an unpaved, flooded road. (WAP)

Also speaking,  Mr. Nonso Obi, one of the founders of Uruagu Youth Forum, warned trespassers to steer clear of the Nnewi Relief Market(F-line), Agbo Edo, Nkwo Nnewi because the market has a gazette. He explained that no further structure will be erected there because the spaces left at the entrance of the market are the designated parking lots for traders and customers as stipulated in the original plan of the Market. He frowned at the illegal collection of #5m from the public by unknown agents who claimed to be approved by the constituted authority.

Mr. Obi recounted how the fairly used Motor Cycle Spare parts (Mgbuka) was relocated from Nnewi to Obosi because of the similar scenario of disorganizing the market by putting up structures in all the nooks and crannies of the market,  without considering the initial plan which makes it unfavourable for trading activities to thrive.

When WAP contacted the President General of Uruagu Nnewi Development Union, Mr. Innocent  Sunday Okoli (C.E.O. Organizer Oil& Gas) via a phone call on the matter, he said the youths are free to protest over issues of Paramount interest such as the Nnewi Relief market case because it is the beauty of democracy. He affirmed his support for the youths as he promised not to allow the market to die.

Àlso, through the same medium WAP, contacted the Transition Chairman of Nnewi North Local Government, Rt. Hon. Chukwudi Orizu, submitted that he knows nothing about the project.

On the part of the chairman of the relief market, Mr. Joseph Enumah who simply said he doesn’t have much to say because he was only an appointed market leader and doesn’t know those responsible for the projects, surprisingly, he stated that the project didn’t pose any challenges in the market that there is free movement of vehicles, traders, customers, goods and services in the market.

Photo: A protester holds up a sign in from the Nnewi Relief Market(F-line), Agbo Edo, Nkwo Nnewi. (WAP)

Notably, some of the traders and operators in the market who spoke to WAP anonymously described the move as an eyesore and said it’s exposing them to series of untold hardship because the market is flooded, as such not accessible, scaring their customers away, causing hike in prices of commodity.

However, it is worthy of note that the Chairman of Nzukora Nnewi (Nnewi town Union), Dr. Maduka Atueyi had earlier halted the controversial project and appealed to the traders and Nnewi people to give him ample time to get to the root cause and immediately and unmask those behind the secret deal.

Assessing the state of the market, WAP observed that the market was no longer booming as motor-cycle operators (okada), wheel-barrow pushers, etc who facilitate the movement of goods and services in the market were not seen in their usual number. Interestingly, there was no vehicle in the designated car park of the market chairman due to the flooded nature of the area. The protesting youths uprooted a signpost that showed the identity of the contractors and took it away to an unknown destination.

WAP promises to keep you posted as events unfold.

  • Ononuju Egwuonye, is a staff reporter for The West African Pilot News, WAP.
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