By Chinwe Nwacha, Onitsha
The President General, PG, of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders' Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, hinted Monday, during his reception by traders at Amalgamated Tyre Dealers Association, ATDA, Nkpor, near Onitsha, that he was a messiah to the traders in the State, having been able to better the welfare of the traders within the first quarter of his appointment by the State Government.
Explaining further shortly after a special open mass service, Presided over by Rev. Udoka Okonkwo, of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Awada, Onitsha, where the cleric advised the traders to keep up with their good work of helping the needy as they would never lack for God rewards a cheerful giver, the ASMATA PG said that God enthroned him to serve them
He commended the chairman of ATDA, Hon. Charles Ikeli, for his wonderful work in the market, adding that what he (Anuna ) achieved in the market as former chairman, in eight years, the incumbent chairman, Ikeli, was able to achieve it in three years, and urged him not to relent in his resolve to move the market forward.
The ASMATA PG warned that there is no place for touts in the markets in the State and directed Chief Ikeli to ensure no touts are allowed in his market in the name of collecting Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, in the market.
In his response, Ikeli expressed satisfaction with the visit of the PG to his market and denied the allegation that the PG who was a former chairman of the market, had no shop adding that he had shop and warehouse, and was an importer who taught some traders on how to import, and built the hall in the market.
"What we are doing is serving humanity and we believe that what the ASMATA PG did here when he was the chairman, he will do in ASMATA, he is an achiever and our prayer is that God will guide and protect him in his leadership", he prayed.
"We presented gifts to three lines in the market that make highest financial donations to motivate them to do more next year. VIP line took the first position and was given a cup and #100,000, Unity line took the second position and given #50,000 while London line took the third position and was given #20,000.
"We empowered more than 1000 destitutes. We normally send messages to orphanages, destitute homes, disables, blind, among others to come for gifts," he further explained.
Contributing, Ifeanyi Agbalaje, the chairman of the VIP line that scored first position said that what they were doing was sacrifice to the poor, and expressed his happiness that they took the first position last year and also this year, describing it as a thing of joy for all the VIP line members.
Two patrons of the market, Mr. Mike Obidike, and Chief Chijioke Maduka, said that the ASMATA PG was worthy to be enthroned as the PG, describing him as a man of the people who does not discriminate and will perform to the expectation of the traders.
Mr. Obidike advised the traders not to relent in their efforts towards a united market for the progress of the entire traders.
According to Chief Maduka, "I was Anuna's vice when he was the chairman of the market and he has wisdom to lead and God will increase it because he is a very good man. We are expecting him to do more than he did for ATDA, touts are disturbing in all the markets but we believed that he will put a stop to that", he stated.
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