Anambra State Shippers
Association has brought to the notice of the state government the activities of
some illegal machinery who pose as state levy collectors to extort money from
traders and other market operators.
Speaking with national
link the president of the association mr emma akpaka appealed that the
government of the state should as a matter of urgency check the emergence of
such holy act especially in onistha, awka and its environs.
Akpaka said that
traders and customers had started paying unauthorized and illegal fees to some
miscreants, who harass and intimidate bike and tricycle operators conveying
goods in and out of markets in Onitsha as the manace is capable of disrupting
the peace enjoyed by ndi anambra.
He said that some
of these disgruntled elements disguise as government agents without
authorization papers when confronted.
``As Ndi Anambra
still applaud this administration for solving their most disturbing problems of
security of lives and property, many, however, rub their eyes in disbelief over
strange behaviors in some quarters.
``The bone of
contention now is that our customers who tie their goods on bikes and tricycles
are arrested daily at exit points of Onitsha markets and forced to pay huge
amount of money, all in the name of alleged Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
``Unsuspecting
traders, who bought their freedom with their transportation fares, managed to
go home and swore not to come back,’’ he said.
According to him,
executors of this bad or illegal policy frustrate our customers from buying in
Onitsha during the last administration, but were cleared off the streets in the
beginning of this administration; now, probably, because attention has been
shifted to other areas, the old bad practice is back.
Akpaka also
lamented the dehumanizing treatment met out to container drivers conveying
goods into the state via the Niger Bridge that would not co-operate in paying
at least two illegitimate groups about N20, 000.
``These groups
poach on containers in Anambra State and collect nothing less than N10,000 each
as if the state’s budget is built on it alone.
``Attempt to
demand for explanation on the legality of their demands by any container driver
attracts beatings of various dimensions and cannibalization of the interior of
their trucks.
``Compounding the
already deteriorating issue is another group that demands and forcefully
collects N5, 000 per container within Onitsha metropolis. They call it royalty
and claim it is their birth right,’’ he said.
The shippers’ boss
noted that world over, ``it is still trade partners and tourists that boost
economy’’; adding that scaring them away in Anambra State ``is committing
economic suicide’’.
``We still need these customers and foreigners that still believe in our strength as the biggest market in West Africa,’’ he added.
By Chigozie Philip
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