Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State has ordered for the conduct of elections in the Abakpa-Nike Timber market and in the leadership of all markets across the state.
Mr Chinedu Mbah, Senior Personal Assistant (SPA) to the governor on Markets disclosed this at a peace meeting with the Abakpa-Nike Timber market traders union, Enugu East local government area.
“The governor has directed that there should be election in all the markets in Enugu State.
“The government favoured a Central Committee Chairman in all the markets that can be a point person that the government will be working with, ” he said.
The SPA assured the traders that the election would be conducted as soon as possible, adding that his office will supervise the event to ensure peace.
“I am here to ensure that there is peace and I am going to set up the machinery in motion for an election as directed by the governor.
“All that I am assuring you is that there is going to be free, fair and credible election, ” he said.
Mbah ruled out the possibility of removing the current caretaker chairman as requested by the unions, saying that all tiers of government remained one.
“The caretaker chairman as been appointed by the local government council authority will remain until election is held.
“All tiers of government is the same; so, he has to remain in office for now, ” Mbah said.
However, following shouts of “no, no, no, by the traders, he drafted his Chief Security Officer (CSO) to oversee the security of the market henceforth until a new chairman is elected.
He also directed the “Peter Mbah Task Force on Markets” to oversee the day-to-day administration of the market pending the conduct of the election..
The peace meeting, held at the market followed leadership crisis brewing in the market over the appointment of a caretaker by the Enugu East local government council.
It would be recalled that the three unions in the market had earlier petitioned the governor over several allegations against the caretaker chairman, Mr John Okoh.
In the petition, part of which was replicated in the address by the unions at the meeting, the traders rejected the appointment of Okoh as caretaker chairman central committee.
They called for an election to allow them chose their preferred chairman of central committee for the market, describing the caretaker arrangement as an imposition.
The unions, led by, Mr Godwin Eze of timber and Mr Onu Francis of Eke market alleged that the caretaker chairman was imposed on the traders by the local government council.
They further alleged that the caretaker chairman brings questionable characters into the market in the name of security which imposes fear on them.
They also alleged that the caretaker chairman was formerly impeached as chairman of the market in 2013 for various offences including embezzlement, high handedness and stealing.
“John Okoh as the timber shed traders chairman was impeached in 2013, as a result of high handedness, gangsterism, embezzlement, nepotism and utter disregard for humanity.
“With John Okoh the goods of traders in the market are not safe; therefore, we don’t want him; we want an election to elect a central chairman, ” they said.
Okoh, who was visibly present, was shouted down by the traders and was therefore prevented from making any speech at the event.
Speaking, one of the traders, Mr Peter Nwekemezie thanked the governor for his intervention in the crisis.
He said that there was the need to get to the root of the crisis with the view to finding a lasting solution.
Also speaking, another trader, Mrs Eucharia Chibuzor praised the efforts by both the unions and government to make peace paramount in the timber market.
According to her, without peace no meaningful development could take place in the market and this would affect government’s revenue drive.
