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Peter Anosike
The President of Mandilas International Trade Centre, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Chief Anthony Okeke is the first and only market leader in the whole of Lagos State that observes regular health week for traders and customers.
His concern for good health has made Mandilas International Trade Centre, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, to win the cleanest market award in the state several times.
With the outbreak of Coronavirus, he has taken the lead to ensure that the spread of the pandemic disease is curtailed by insisting that members, customers and visitors must submit themselves to compulsory temperature test and hand sanitizer at the entrance and exit gates of the market.
He also set up a taskforce committee to ensure compliance to the directives.
The other measures he has also put in place, in line with the directive of Lagos State government, include the banning of all public gathering in the market till further notice.
He said that all members and stakeholders in the market should stop handshake, hugging and all other forms of greeting that involve body contacts.
He said that all members and stakeholders returning from countries and states with active Coronavirus cases must self-isolate for 14 days, adding that during the self-isolation, they must be checking their temperature twice a day and that any temperature that exceeds 37.9 must be reported to the appropriate authorities.
“Our midday prayer is still in place, but members are advised to do it in their individual shops, members and customers alike are advised to keep at least six feet distance while making transactions, every member is mandated to have alcohol-based hand sanitizers in their shops and offices. Most importantly all members, customers and visitors are advised to submit themselves to the compulsory temperature test and hand wash sanitizer at the entrance and exit gates,” he said.
Chief Okeke said that in order to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus, all hands must be on deck.
According to him, with the folding of companies, population has shifted to the markets and as such, market leaders should take the lead.
He said that Mandilas International Trade Centre has for long been providing leadership in the area of governance and health, adding that was the reason it is today the most peaceful and cleanest market in Lagos State.
Rights group warns Obiano against imposition of market leadership
…Demands conduct of election in Ochanja, Ogbogwu markets
Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
A human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has warned the Anambra State government over alleged interference in the affairs of the markets thereby undermining its democratic leadership process.
The group urged the government to desist from sowing a seed of discord, rancour and acrimony, capable of triggering off crisis and violence in the market.
The Chairman of Intersociety, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi in a letter to the Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, copied to the governor and security agents in the state and made available to newsmen condemned indiscriminate use of the government appointed ‘caretaker committees’ to run the affairs of markets in the state, including the Onitsha Drug Market and Ochanja Central Market.
“The letter further demanded for permanent end to imposition of government appointed caretaker committees or leaderships and their permanent replacement with single four-year and maximum eight years (if re-elected) tenured offices.
“We also demanded for the use of Option A4 for the pending election; informing that same Option A4 was used in the 2009 and 2014 elections in the Onitsha Drug Market. In the recently conducted election at Nkpor New Motor Spare Parts Market, conducted weeks ago, the same Option A4 was also used.
“In the pending election of the Onitsha Drug Market, now re-fixed for April 16, 2020, the Option A4 shall be used alongside the Line Registers of the Market containing names of all the up-to-date members. This is to ensure that no up-to-date member of the market is disenfranchised or denied his or her right to participate and vote.
“We strongly advise that your public office must make sure that the electoral committee is independently constituted and composed. This shall be done in such a way that no serving member of the state government appointed caretaker committee leadership of the market or anybody gunning or contesting for any of the elective offices is allowed to make the list of the market’s electoral committee.
“To avoid manipulation of the election or its preparation process as well as disenfranchising any up-to-date member of the Onitsha Drug (Ogbogwu) Market, accreditation and voting must originate from all the Line Registers in the Market. Any verification process concerning the Line Registers must also be devoid of manipulation and doctoring,” the letter read in part.
Anambra industrial cluster traders seek end of Coronavirus through prayers
David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Taders at Eze-lweka Industrial Clusters, Awada-Obosi near Onitsha have engaged in prayer sessions specifically to end the Coronavirus pandemic ravaging the entire globe.
In addition to prayers, the traders said that they had begun to arrange for buckets, sanitizers and soap as safety measures at the cluster.
The industrial cluster which is known for the production of polythene materials has also mapped out other strategies to prevent the spread of the disease.
They said that one of the steps taken so far to prevent the pandemic even when there has not been a report of such in the entire state was the suspension of all meetings which would attract more than 10 people in the market.
Members are said to have resorted to the use of telephone conversation to address issues in the industrial cluster.
Chairman, Eze-Iweka Industrial Cluster, Mr Ernest Ikebuaso, in an interview expressed satisfaction within the level of information so far disseminated about the virus and its prevention and pleaded with the state government to make some health materials available to assist in preventing the virus from spreading.
A trader and technician in the area, Pastor Emma Alugbuo, further explained that the central union has suspended all gatherings among union members as a step to curtail the spread of the virus.
Pastor Alugbuo who is the chairman of a section at the cluster also prayed that the virus would soon disappear from the surface of the earth.
Tenure of office: ASPMDA Trustees, Offorkansi appeal ruling of Appeal Court
Peter Anosike
Registered Trustees of the Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, Badagry Expressway and the President of the association, Chief Daniel Oforkansi have appealed the judgment of the Appeal Court delivered on Wednesday March 18, 2020.
The Public Relations Officer of the association, Prince Tony Omeh, who disclosed this at a press conference on Friday said: “As soon as the Appeal Court judgment was read, we filed an appeal and even the pending motion for stay of execution which had been duly served on the Sheriff and the counsel to the judgment creditors are all before the court as we speak.
“As you all know, whenever a judgment is appealed, discussions about it are subjudice and status quo is maintained pending the determination of the substantive suit in the Supreme Court which is last court on the land.
“The administration of Chief Daniel Offorkansi, therefore, advises all members of ASPMDA to go about their normal business and remain law abiding while the judicial process takes its full course as provided by law.
“The Exco is made up of law abiding citizens and are not parts of those that are bent on causing confusion in ASPMDA, rather the administration will continue to deliver dividends of democracy and development projects in line with the constitution of ASPMDA and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that Justice Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu of the Court of Appeal in Lagos Judicial Division, had last week Wednesday, dismissed the appeal filed by Chief Offorkansi and upheld the ruling of a Lagos High Court which had earlier in November 2018, asked him to leave office on issues of tenure of office.
Checks within the market showed absolute calmness and everybody is seen going about their normal businesses while the administration of Offorkansi continues to remain without any form of crisis.
Nnewi traders adopt safety measures, kick against market closure
David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Traders at old motor spare parts market, Nkwo Nnewi, Anambra State have been counting their losses since the outbreak of the Coronavirus as their customers have decided to stay back for fear of contracting the virus.
Leader of the traders, Mr Chinedu Enyeribe disclosed the plight of the traders to Sunday Sun as he narrated safety measures the traders had been taking to avoid spread of the pandemic in their market.
Mr Enyeribe said that as the chairman of the market association has made approval with his executive for the purchase of sanitary items like buckets with taps always filled with clean water, bottles of liquid soap and bottles of sanitizer which he said were placed at more than 100 strategic points in the market.
He noted that the traders and their customers at the market had already imbibed the culture of using safety measures as directed by the Anambra State government.
“Many of our customers who come from outside Anambra State have ceased coming for now because of the rampaging CONVID-19 and we do not know when this situation will end. This is really telling on us. It is even hard now for one to access his money from the banks because bank customers are now attended to in batches. Our trading activities have nose-dived and we are in a confused state, “ he complained.
On the recent directive purportedly issued by the Anambra State government that markets in the state should lockdown on Monday (tomorrow), the association chairman said there was be no need to close the markets so long as traders comply with the order to adopt safety measures and were seen to have done so.
