The Anambra Government on Friday reiterated its resolve to deal decisively with fake revenue collectors for sabotaging efforts at improving Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state.
Dr Christian Madubuko, the state Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, Markets and Wealth Creation made the remark shortly after the election of new executive leaders of Old Motor Spare Parts Markets, Obosi in Onitsha.
Madubuko, who said the state government would henceforth go tough on culprits, directed the traders to report and apprehend any illegal revenue collector to law enforcement officers.
“Government is battling to put an end to extortion in the markets by ensuring transparent elections of market leaders.
“Henceforth, nobody is allowed to collect any levy in the markets except those authorized to collect stall fees, trader tax and sanitation levies which are the only approved levies.
“All those flying authority letters with forged government signatures will soon be arrested and prosecuted.
“We want sanity and peace to return to our markets,” Madubuko said, urging the traders to support the new leadership in the herculean task of administering the market.
The commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of Gov. Willie Obiano’s administration to improve infrastructure, security of lives and property across the state.
In his remarks, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, the Chairman, South-East Amalgamated Market Traders Association, urged the new leadership to sustain the relative peace currently existing in the market.
Ezenwankwo also urged them to complement Gov. Willie Obiano’s N10 million projects in all the markets by ensuring proper accountability of all levies generated from the market.
In his acceptance speech, Chief Okechukwu Ezeobodo, who polled 1,296 votes to emerge as the President-General of the market, appealed for cooperation so as to deliver on his promises in the market.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ezeobodo defeated seven other aspirants to emerge the leader of the market popularly known as ‘Mgbuka Obosi’.
NAN
