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~ warn of impending danger, if continued
~ Ask Caretaker Chairman to rescind decisions.
Stakeholders and some executives of NASPA Nnewi has called on the caretaker chairman of the market to stop forthwith the drainage he is building presently in the market because it will led to flooding in the market when the rains come back.
Hon. Obinna Okechukwu, the former Caretaker Chairman of the market made this assertion in an interactive session with journalist yesterday in Nnewi.
He said " this particular drainage the new chairman is constructing is uncalled for and a total waste of scare resources. The former drainage is supposed to be where it is and not encroaching into the main road. I am totally against it as it will not add value to the market"
Continuing, Hon. Obinna Okechukwu lamented the unwanton destruction of already built infrastructure in the market just to do new ones are uncalled for. He said " when I was the chairman of that market, i did a borehole and reticulated water throughout the whole market to ensure that everywhere is clean as cleanliness is next to godliness. This also helped on emergencies when water is needed, but it's unfortunate that he is blocking all the channels of water i did in the market. I have begged him to restore it but I am still waiting for him to do that.
He thanked Chief..... Onwa Oraeri the President General of ASMATA for coming to the rescue by ordering the stoppage of work on the said illegal drainages being constructed by the Caretaker Chairman.
He called on the chairman to listen to stakeholders and leaders who have administered the market before for his own good.
He however called on traders in the market to patient with him, because he is a new person, and pray he changes for the better to ensure that government directives are followed to the letter. He also called on traders who wanted to riot in the market to foreclose such decision as it will not be in the interest of anybody.
Hon. Obinna Okechukwu as the first vice President of ASMATA said that in his capacity he went to the market to calm down what would have degenerated into fracas as his most of his executives are against the projects he is doing which is not inline with government directives.
Comrade Chinedu Maduekwe, the commander of decongestion unit of the Anambra state government for Nnewi North,South & Ekwusigo, while adding his voice said that they got information from traders that there is an illegal drainage going on in the market, which if it was allowed to continue will cause flooding in the market.
He said that when they came they saw for themselves that it was the true, so they meet with the chairman of the the market and work stopped.
Comrade Chinedu Maduekwe went on to state that they were surprised, that when they left the market, the chairman instructed that work continued with the illegal drainage. He said that on their coming back they were directed to close the illegal drainage and allow the old drainage which will not cause flooding in the market to be in place. He however gathered that their intent for the drainage is to allow them build more stores in the market,which is against government directives, as no approval have been given to that effect.
Our corespondent who was on ground in Nnewi interacted with many traders in the market. Most of the traders complained bitterly of the high-handedness of the caretaker chairman, whom they said does not listen to advise from stakeholders. Mr. Uche Mgbeokwere who spoke with our correspondent said that it's unfortunate that the caretaker chairman whom is supposed to protect their interest have turned around to protect his pocket. He said " it's unfortunate that this move of causing flooding in the market can be coming from a supposed caretaker of the market whom government has given the mandate to manage. This is a desperate move and must be condemned in all ramifications"
The traders called on the Governor Charles Soludo to intervene in this matter to forestall such ugly trend from happening in the future, as it is not for the general interest of traders in the market.