ASMATA PG with Apostle Nwose, (middle), during the cutting of the tape to declare the market inaugurated
By Calis Mbadugha, Onitsha
The chairman of Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, Hon. Emmanuel Nweke, President General, PG, Ogbunike community, Chief Sam T. Obiakor, and Hon. John Nwobodo Ifeanyi, the chairman of Tomatoes and Peppers Market Dealers Association, Ogbunike, have commended the President General, PG, Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders' Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna, over the inauguration of Tomatoes/Peppers market in Ogbunike.
Hon. Nweke who is the council boss, described the siting of the market at Ogbunike as a welcome development adding that it will assist to develop the area even as he described the people of Oyi as hospitable to visitors.
"If not the traders would have gone to another place but they decided to be here. They will also live around to curtail cost of transportation. We will work in Harmony with them to beef up security
"It is community, traders partnership and when the rain comes we know what to do to ensure shelter for the traders and I commend the ASMATA PG for finding it worthy to locate the market here," he stated.
L-R: Oyi LG chairman, Ogbunike PG, ASMATA PG, the market chairman and others
Speaking during the cutting of the tape to declare the market inaugurated, the ASMATA PG, recalled that himself and Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, on Trade and Markets, Hon. Evarist Uba, went to places in search of suitable location for tomatoes market until God provided the present location for the market.
"We went to places looking for suitable location as tomatoes market, thank God for this place. Oyi welcomes strangers, this place is very comfortable for trading and living. SPAD assisted in no small measure to ensure we get this place, God's hand is in this market and I commend the woman who leveled the ground to make the place comfortable for trading, Mrs Chinasa Okafor," he stated.
In his own contribution, the Ogbunike community PG, Chief Obiakor, stated that, "Today we are priviledged through the chairman of the market, mayor, Hon. Ifeanyi, ASMATA PG, Anuna, and LG chairman, Nweke, to have this market, it is a very good thing we accept it because it is for development of a town and betterment of the traders.
Tomatoes line
"Ogbunike land welcomes people. We have lots of markets in Ogbunike, they will also stay, we welcome them. Just like LG chairman said on security, security is paramount to us, actually there was a time I discussed it with him, so we want to mobilize but now they have officially started, I promise that chairman Ogbunike tomatoes market and I will make sure this place is safe for lives and property to help our working governor, he is doing very well.
Peppers line
"We will work hand in hand with LG chairman, the market union, we will help, if you look around this place, you will see that security post is close, which we are planning and there is a place we want to convert to as Area command for Anambra North. Very soon it will start working, in few weeks later, this place will be well secured.
In his own contribution, comrade Pascal Anumba, Ogbunike Youth Chairman, stated that, "We really thank God today that the tomatoes dealers Association market favoured our town but is because of the peaceful nature of this community that they prefer to be in Ogbunike because there are scores of towns around.
"Criminals are not the main challenges here, anywhere there is market and business transaction there must be challenges there but there are many ways we are controlling it, just that anytime they succeeded it will look like they were having their days all the time but the ones we are arresting are many than the successful ones.
The market toilets and bathroom
"But I believe that with the presence of the traders in this market they will relocate because market security scares them, Ndumore filling station security and town union security will come out better to challenge the criminals. Security is a collective business. So I am promising them that we will provide security for the traders," he assured.
Also Mrs. Chinasa Okafor, the woman that leveled the market ground said that she was happy, disclosing that, "Before the traders were asked to leave Army barracks, I knew they were the owners of this place just that they said they will get an approval from government and then level the hills before they will come in. So they came and we joined hands together to level it and now they have gotten the approval from government.
"What we are seeing now is the result, because before you will be afraid to be here because of the hill, now that traders are here it will help to have more security. Criminals were many here but thank God for Soludo that helped to remove all the make shift structures around here," she disclosed further.
To buttress her claim of menace of criminals in the area, she recalled that, "I was kidnapped here on 9th December 2023, we were working and they came in, releasing bullets and requested I should follow them, I have no option than to follow them. I stayed there for two days, ransome was paid and I was released," she explained.
Alahaji Bala jindo, the secretary general of Hausa section, added that, "Today we are happy because what we have been looking since many years ego, we have gotten it today.We thank Governor Soludo for coming to our rescue.
"We have built toilet and bathroom and water is running, we have organised everything that suppose to be here. This place is better than everywhere we have stayed," he affirmed.
Mr Nwokwu Ndubuisi, the CEO of Ndumoore Oil and Gas, stated that, "This market brought light here because I was the first person to build here and we have been having challenges of criminals here but today the traders are here. I believe security will be better here now.
"I have reported to police on how criminals operate here on daily bases but anytime you complain to them they will tell you they don't have the man power, I have gone to even Army barracks to explain to them to see if we can have check point here still no way.
"The criminals are operating too much here, even if they attack you and you start shouting, nobody will come to your rescue," he disclosed.
In his response the market chairman, Hon. Ifeanyi, thanked the Council chairman, ASMATA PG, SPAD and all those who contributed towards the success of the market location including the Ogbunike PG and entire people of the area for their support and prayed God to keep each and every one of them for the good of the market and its traders.
Recall that prayer session that preceded the inauguration of the market was conducted and presided over by Apostle Chike Nwose, (a.k.a. Authority), from God Deliverance Church, Onitsha