– Demand refund of money paid
Worried by the series of petitions written against him by traders in Imo State, in respect of the elusive ISAMATA housing project, the President of Imo State Market Traders’ Association ISAMATA, Emmanuel Ezeanochie, has reached out to some of his colleagues, pleading for endorsement.
Further investigation however reveals that, “Governor Uzodinma’s sister, popularly known as Adaji appears to be fully in control of the markets in the state. Hence the ISAMATA boss is no longer answerable to the traders but to the Governor’s sister who calls the shots and dictates the pace of activities in the various markets”.
The source who pleaded anonymity hinted that, “there are indications that the President of ISAMATA, Emmanuel Ezeanochie, is not fully in control of the money the traders paid for the non existent housing estate said to be located at Irette, in Owerri West Local Government Area”.
They are therefore, threatening that if Ezeanochie and his executive fail to refund their money soonest, they will have no other option than to stage a massive protest on the streets of Owerri, the Imo State capital to attract public attention to their plight before the November, 11, governorship election.
Continuing, the source said, “aside the money we were deceived to pay for the housing project that has remained elusive, even after the specified time frame, there are other illegal fees that traders are compelled to pay by ISAMATA, in conjunction with the Chairmen of the markets, most of who are agents and accomplices of the ISAMATA boss”.
He recalled how the said Governor’s sister, Adaji, “ordered the demolition of some parts of World Bank market and ensured that the contract for its reconstruction was awarded to her siblings, friends and associates. She also supervised the allocation of shops, after appropriating as many shops as she wanted for herself”.
He further stated that, in the midst of all these shady happenings, nobody ever deemed it fit to give them any feed back despite repeated enquires to that effect.
One of the traders who simply identified himself as Simplicity, said they have made several efforts to make ISAMATA refund the money they paid for the non existent estate to no avail adding that, most times, Ezeanochie uses the police to intimidate them for daring to question him about the activities of ISAMATA which is the umbrella body of Imo traders.
