The Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Doctor Obinna Ngonadi, has allegedly been accused with selling market leadership positions by a group operating under the banner of the Anambra Elite Trader’s Forum.
The group claimed in a petition to the state’s governor, Chukwuma Soludo, that Ngonadi sold state market leadership spaces to the highest bidders.
They asserted that the petition was required in order to alert the governor to the alleged atrocities committed by the commissioner and the threat such behavior poses to the state.
The executive members of the organisation headed by Chikeluba Odiche and Micheal Nwangwu signed the petition on Tuesday in Onitsha, Anambra State, and copied media.
Additionally, they claimed that the commissioner violated the court’s order when he authorized the construction of new shops on top of those already owned by association members at the New Auto Spare Parts market.
The petition read, “We wish to intimate your Excellency that the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Obinna Ngonadi is presently selling the leadership offices in the different markets in Anambra State to the highest bidders.
“The sale bazaar has passed through many markets which include Bridge-Head Market, Nkpor Main Market, Electronics Market Ogbaru, Ose okwuodu Market, Ogbaru Main Market, NASPA Nnewi Market and several other Markets.
“In each of these markets, the commissioner auctioned the different executive officers and positions existing in the markets, wherein traders paid varying sums of money for these positions.
“The commissioner ignore in a brazen manner, different court cases pending in respect of his unlawful removal of market leaders.
“The action of this commissioner has caused many traders in the market to institute different court cases in different law courts in the state. It might interest your excellency to note that some of these cases involve not just the ministry and Dr. Ngonadi as parties, but also the Anambra State Government.”
According to the organisation, there are currently more than 40 legal cases against the state ministry of commerce and industry and the Anambra State Government pending in various courts.
However, because there is already a high level of anxiety in the various markets, the merchants pleaded with the governor to carefully examine the situation and make sure that the commissioner is summoned to order and ordered to backtrack.
In response, the commissioner, Ngonadi, dismissed the petition, claiming that it was the product of market criminals retaliating because the government was acting in the public’s interest.
“We ignore all these baseless petitions because we know what we are doing and we know they will definitely fight back. The criminals in the market, we know who they are and we know they will definitely fight back. I don’t respond to such petitions, I deal with them,” Ngonadi said.
