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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has banned all tribal and ethnic-based traders’ associations operating in Swail and other markets in the state.
Consequently, the state Commissioner of Police has been directed to enforce the order by arresting any person or group of persons who continues to parade themselves as members of such associations at the various markets.
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the orders at the weekend after receiving a report from the Swali Market Conflict Resolution Committee during a meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by traders from the Swali Market, the deputy governor warned that government would decisively take on anybody who violates the ban on ethnic group-based traders’ associations in the state.
To this end, he directed the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to monitor, arrest and prosecute anyone or group of traders that will flout the prohibition order of government.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who also came down hard on the state Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment for not demonstrating effective leadership, observed that the protracted crisis among the traders in Swali market was a fallout of the compromise, ineptitude and failure on the part of the Ministry.
The deputy governor, however, clarified that going forward, traders association would only be allowed to exist in the markets strictly on the basis of the kind of goods or products traders deal on.
He said government would set up another committee to set and define the guidelines, requirements and qualifications to be met by those interested in holding any leadership positions in the popular Swali Market Traders Association
His words: “I think what is happening at the Swali Market is a failure from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment. It is because of the compromise of the leadership of the Ministry, with due respect to them, that is why they have this problem.
“So I think it is an issue of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment not being able to provide leadership, either as a result of leadership ineptitude or compromised leadership that takes sides. There are a lot of reports of compromise about the Ministry.
“The Honourable Commissioner for Information will make the formal announcement: All tribal traders associations in that market is hereby banned – no Isoko traders association; no Urhobo traders association; no Igbo traders association, and no Ijaw traders association, and others not mentioned here.
“All such existing tribal associations are hereby banned in all our markets across the state. None should exist. The Commissioner of Police and other law enforcement agencies of government are hereby directed to arrest anyone or group parading themselves as such.
“If anybody goes there and start to say I am the chairman of Igbo Traders Association, Swali branch, government would take on you. That is not recognized by us. All those association are banned and they remain banned.”
Presenting the report, Chief Boma Spero-Jack, the Chairman of the Swali Market Conflict Resolution Committee, identified unhealthy politicization of the traders association and inordinate ambition by various interests to control revenues being generated at the Swali Market as causes of the crisis.
Dr. Spero-Jack informed that the committee had recommended a legislative solution that would put to rest the recurrent leadership problem bedeviling the market.
The committee also recommended the institutionalization of an alternative conflict resolution body, and a market regulatory council to effectively regulate the markets.
Other top government functionaries present at the meeting include the Chief of Staff, Dr Peter Akpe; the Deputy Chief of Staff Government House, Deputy Governor’s Office, Comrade Gowon Toruyouyei, and the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment represented by the Director of Markets, Mrs. Mildred Francis Igele.
The Commissioner of Police, the State Director of the Department of State Services, and the Deputy State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were also part of the meeting.
