Relocation: Onitsha market women hold journalists hostage

A mild drama played out last weekend when the newly relocated Vegetable and Fruits market women held journalists including Daily  Sun correspondent hostage for several minutes as a way of forcing them to make their position known to the government.

The traders numbering more than hundred had barricaded a spot in the new market behind Power Mike Stadium, Atani Road, Ogbaru near Onitsha, Anambra State and threatened to deal with reporters who dared cross over to their side without hearing and promising to convey their message to the government.
Addressing journalists at the scene, Mrs. Ngozi Chukwu who spoke on behalf of the traders said they are law abiding citizens who complied with the government’s directive to them to relocate to the new market after their sack from their former location in Onitsha popularly known as Afia Coke.
“ Help us ask Governor Obiano whether we committed any crime by abiding by his directive for us to relocate here. This place is very  safe and better compared to the former place we were staying before. But we are experiencing poor sales because most of the women have refused to join us. They distract our customers and also divert goods to other places thereby preventing this place from booming.”
Please tell governor that we, the women have resolved to troop into the streets and even trade along the Niger Bridge Onitsha gateway if he fails to  convince the still protesting women to join us in the new market by Friday this week” she said..
Earlier, Anambra State Market Women leader, Mrs. Promise Ezeigwe who visited the market in company of some other women leaders had told them that she had the mandate of the wife of the state governor, Chief Mrs Ebele Obiano whom she said, told her to bring them good tidings that Governor Obiano has their interest at heart and will always care for their well being.
Ezeigwe told them that the decision to relocate them to the new and better market was in their own interest and promised to convey their feelings to the government.
Meanwhile, scores of women who have refused to relocate to the new market continued their peaceful protest  when the market women leader came to address them at the Super International Market premises, Okpoko.
Hundreds of the women flanked by their leader, Christy Ejiofor and owner of the private market where they had stayed before their sack by the state government, Mr. Edwin Ogbenna  told the delegation that their forceful ejection from the place where widows and low income earners get their daily bread was done in bad faith.
They reminded the Obiano administration that a day of reckoning is coming and pleaded that government should rescind its decision for the overall interest of the teeming population of women who have been displaced presently from their sources of income.
From Aloysius Attah and Jeff Amaechi Agbodo, Onitsha

Sun News