Following the allegation that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Imo State has been extorting traders in the market, Barr. Kingsley Ononuju, the head of the commission has stated that the Ministry has no hand in it.
Ononuju who disclosed this during an interactive section with Daily Nigerian Horn further stated,” Nothing of such magnitude happened, it is only speculations by detractors whose sole aim is to soil the good Image of this government”.
He continued “The markets due to the lockdown opened not quit long ago and we have not sent out any staff to collect any levy from the traders and even if we have to do so, agencies we appointed to be in charge of the markets will be duly communicated in writing to that effect.
“We have had good relationships with the traders especially their adherence to the lockdown directive and so if there is an iota of truth in the speculation then I assure them that we will tackle the issue headlong and not relent in bringing it to a hut.
He pointed out that the major goal of the commission as stipulated by Governor Hope Uzodinma is to improve the markets and make it look like what it should be by, according to him, providing them with basic amenities such as pipe born water, convienences for male and female, mini health care centres, electricity, abattoirs, good road among others
This he said is the responsibility of every government to his people, while the people in turn reciprocates by contributing their own quota; paying the necessary dues in boosting the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of the state.
Ononuju averred that in as much as the State is working towards the healthy living and safety of her populace, we need according to him, to also ensure that the economy of the state is not in tartares due to the Covid-19 pandemic which is he said is seriously dealing with the economy of not just the country but the whole world.
The commissioner assured the traders that if they would continue to comply to the safety measures, keeping of the market environment clean and most essentially paying their dues to the state, then, ” The governor will make sure to keep to his own side of the bargain in providing an enabling environment for you, the traders to trade.”
He opined that it might further lead the governor into lifting the template, he, Governor Uzodimma recently stipulated on allowing them, the traders engage in there businesses three times a week.
NIGERIAN HORN
