By Alphonsus Nweze
Traders of Electronics International Market, Onitsha in Anambra State have protested high tax regime imposed on them by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s Government.
The protesting traders who are mainly youth of the market lamented that the high levy was being imposed on them even when their market is a private one, not government owned market which suppose to pay stallage fee.
The traders carrying placards and chanting anti three -man administrator songs went through different lines in the market, condemning the exorbitant payments they were being compelled to make.
The spokesperson for the protesting traders, Mr.Chijioke Okafor, said that initially they were paying N5,500 before the State Government jerked it to N17,500 per a shop without consulting the traders.
He said that the State Government had again unilaterally increased the levy to N32,500.
On top of that, he said, the agents of three man – administrator of the market have threatened that anybody who failed to pay would be made to pay penalty.
Unfortunately, he said, another private market, Ogboefere, close to them were still paying N9, 000 because they are not supposed to pay stallage fees.
“But we pay as high as government markets in the State who pay stallage fees. We want Soludo to hear our voice. This levy is too high for us here. There are some traders whose wares are not up to N100, 000, yet they are expected to pay N32, 500 levy”
Another spokesperson, Mr. Chris Ogonus, accused the three-man administrator of the market of being behind the exorbitant levy.
He called on the State Government to allow them conduct their election to pick who would lead them, saying that their market don’t suppose to have Government Caretaker Committee because they built their market by themselves.
“We don’t understand why they should interfere in our market.We don’t know why Soludo don’t want us to have our election but he was brought in by election and preparing for another election now” he said.
He said the market security arrested one of them, seized their placards and their public addressd system in course of the protest.
