TC Chairman Terrorising Njikoka Markets In Anambra
AWKA – Workers on site, market women and observers were stunned to witness a tussle reminiscent of opposition political bickering rather than that of officials from the same party – the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), as the recently appointed Transition Chairman of Njikoka Local Government Area, Barrister Chinedu Ononiba, on his first official day in office on July 5, 2024 issued a military fiat stop work order at two major markets at Nkwó Enugwu-Ukwu and Oye Agu Abagana markets.
Enforcers of the TC Chairman arrived Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu and Oye-Agu Abagana, in gangster style, and forced their way in, pasting a letter dated July 4, 2024, entitled, “Stoppage Of Work at Markets In Njikoka LGA”, to the consternation of onlookers.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that the market reconstruction was initiated by the immediate past Chairman of Njikoka, Ambassador Clem Aguiyi, as a private sector sponsored project on Build and Transfer basis with no single financial input by the government of Anambra State.
The Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu is a traditional market owned by Enugwu-Ukwu community and managed by the Enugwu-Ukwu Traditional Council, now reconstructed to over 200 shops, while the Oye Agu market is owned by Amaenye Village, Abagana, but concessioned to the government based on a 1979 agreement, renewed in 2003 at the ratio of 40% development commitment by the community and 60% by the government. There are currently about 600-900 new shops in the market.
Reacting to the sudden turn of events at Oye-Agu, Abagana, Chief Obed Nweke, a developer, said the order already cost him 20 bags of cement mixed to complete work on site.
“I am from Amaenye and I can tell you that we have completed our part of the agreement.
“In fact, this project is over 80% complete and what is remaining is the work of private builders.
“Our village is ready to begin sharing revenue as agreed, I don’t know the meaning of this disgrace and open fight by this Soludo government people,” he said.
The situation is equally perplexing at Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu where a Supervisor who simply identified himself as Nwike, confirmed that the project is 99% completed.
“In fact, we are ready to begin allocation of the ground floor shops to original owners free as agreed, while the upstairs will be sold by the sponsors to recover their investment. I don’t understand this rofo-rofo fight o.”
The new Transition Chairman, Barrister Ononiba, had reportedly shown his hands when he personally moved to stop ongoing development of shops on June 29, 2024, even before being sworn into office, thus creating anxiety among private developers of the markets.