– Revolt Against Commerce And Industry Commission, Sokom
-Say: We Can’t Be Puppets Signing Cheques For 3 Years
Chairmen of the 27 Local Government Areas in Imo State, as if tired of being tied to the apron strings of the state government have insisted on taking control of the markets in their respective domains.
One of the Local Government Area chairmen who spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity, said, “even as the chairman of a local government council, my salary is paid by someone I don’t know and at the end of the day, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC will come after us for financial infractions that we know nothing about. As l speak to you, all we do is to sign cheques and be treated like puppets who can only be seen and not heard.
As if that is not enough, the state government, through the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Rex Anunobi, (Sokom) has taken over the control of all the markets in the state, contrary to the provision of the constitution that vests the control of markets in the local government councils.”
Irked by what they perceive as unnecessary interference by the State government, the local government chairmen who have decided to take control of all the markets in their respective domains, are now meeting to strategize on the next line of action.
The current Chairman of Owerri Municipal Council, Hon Hon Chidiebere Emeribe, as if acting the script jointly written by his fellow council chairmen, recently called the Chairman of World Bank Market Comrade Ibe Daniel, who was recently appointed by the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Barr. Rex Anunobi (Sokom) amidst heated controversy and protest by a cross section of traders and shop owners, to stop parading himself as Chairman of the market.
He also reportedly told the chairman that he, as Chairman of Owerri Municipal Council, is now in control of the market, as stipulated in the constitution and the resolution of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON). “Unlike when I was a Sole Administrator (SOLAD) I am now an elected Executive Chairman with requisite powers and authority to control the markets in Owerri Municipality”.
Some LGA chairmen who spoke on condition of anonymity who commented on the development berated the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Rex Anunobi (Sokom) and the state government for usurping the duties and responsibilities of the local government councils, as regards the control of markets from where they are expected to get Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) with which to execute developmental projects.
