Abia traders protest planned demolition of shops, multiple levies

Traders at the Ngwa Road Market, popularly known as Abia Ohu in Aba, Abia State, have protested against planned demolition of some shops in the market.

The traders kicked against what they described as multiple levies being imposed on them by persons who claimed to be agents of government.

It was gathered that a firm which the state government engaged for the reconstructing of the market in phases, had not finished work on the first phase, to enable traders displaced, return to their shops, before announcing plans to demolish more shops.

This irked the traders who protested against the plan of the firm, saying they would only demolish more shops in the market over their dead bodies.

The traders marched to the office of their chairman where they laid complaints and vowed to resist any attempt to demolish more shops in the market if work on those already demolished were not completed.

The multiple levies being opposed, they said, range from fire extinguisher, football, sweeping and scooping, distilling, security levies, and others.

The traders stated it was as a result to streamline the multiple levies that the state government brought the whole levies into one tax subhead that amounted to N18, 000, and later reduced it to N9,000.

They regretted that instead of adhering to government decision on the actual tax they would pay, some persons, who connived with thugs, have been extorting the traders.

Igu Odum, a trader, said government approved the payment of N9,000 for them as tax, but that persons came last week and sealed their shops, demanding they shot pay N21,000.

He said this was beside other levies they have been forced to pay from time to time.

The shops said to have been sealed include those on lines 3, 7, 18, 20, 41 and 47.

Another trader, Mrs. Eunice Nduagba, said her shop was among those sealed last week and the people are insisting she must pay N21, 000 before it will be unsealed.

The traders called for the intervention from the Abia State Government.  (Daily Sun)