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By Ijendu Iheaka
Aba (Abia), April 1, 2020 (NAN) A Civil Society Organisation, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), has condemned the hike in prices of food items during the lockdown in Abia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group described y what it called the astronomical hike in prices of food items by market unions in Aba, the state capital, and other markets within the state as callous and insensitive to the plight of the masses.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Aba, the group said, “Where people prey on their fellow citizens in a time of crises is worse than witchcraft and must be stopped by government.”
The statement, which was signed by Chief Goodluck Ibem and Dr Kanice Igwe, the President-General and Secretary-General of COSEYL respectively, flayed the development and urged the state government to speedily remedy the situation.
“On March 30, a man brought in a full trailer load of garri into one of the big markets in Aba.
“He asked the garri union members of the market, who are the only ones authorised (by their union) to sell any garri that comes into the market, to buy from him and resell at N14,000 per bag.
“But they (union members) told the vendor of the garri that it would be sold for N35,000 per bag and that there was nothing anyone could do about it.
“With this wicked act, it is clear now that the market union has ascribed to itself powers above those of the governor of Abia State by implementing decisions that are contrary to the governor’s decision.
“This act is absurd and chaotic, and should not be allowed to stand in Abia or anywhere in Nigeria, because it is inhuman to act in such a manner, especially at a time when Coronavirus is ravaging nations and destroying people,” the group said.
COSEYL said that the arbitrary exercise of powers by such unions to the detriment of law-abiding citizens, portended danger, as it could result in deaths of the people due to starvation.
“These ugly situations must not be allowed to stand, otherwise Abia State residents may experience sickness and hunger, resulting in untimely deaths and increase in crimes, after the lockdown.
“The governor must dissolve these wicked and egocentric market unions, whose aims and purpose are to ensure that Abians suffer and starve to death.
“This is the height of wickedness exhibited by these so-called food vendor unions.
“As a group mandated by the people to speak for them, we will not fold our hands and watch wicked and egocentric food union leaders to continue to exploit hapless and helpless people because of the lockdown,” it said.
The group, therefore, called on the state government, the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, the Abia State Price Regulatory Board and the Taskforce Committee for Covid -19 to immediately stop what it called the acts of wickedness.
It also demanded the immediate dismantling of all food unions in Abia and prosecution of those found culpable of exploiting and extorting hapless and helpless people because of the lockdown. (NAN)
IEI/AOS/WAS
Edited by Bayo Sekoni and ‘Wale Sadeeq

Abia stakeholders reject EEDC’s planned tariff increase

By Ijendu Iheaka

Tariff

Aba (Abia), March 5, 2020 (NAN) Aba electricity consumers have rejected Enugu Electricity Distribution Company’s (EEDC) planned tariff increase in the state, citing the company’s poor management and poor services as reasons for rejection.

The Customers spoke during a “Stakeholders Consultations on Extraordinary Tariff Review Application” meeting in Aba on Wednesday.

Mrs Ifeoma Ezeka, from World Bank Estate, Aba, said EEDC has proved to be worse than NEPA in servicing consumers.

“We only get light by 12 a.m and it is taken by 4 a.m and not in the day so we cannot do anything in the night with electricity.

“The issue is not about tariff increase, but it is about getting things in order by EEDC.

“So I do not support tariff increase, but EEDC should recover the lost funds to improve facilities and services and forget the increase,” Ezeka said.

Mr Johnson Irogbulam from Ogbor Hill area said that considering the activities of EEDC staff, who give single flats up to N20,000 as monthly bills, they should not think of increasing tariff.

“If people are given a bill of N20,000 for a flat resident, that is more than 50 per cent increase EEDC is seeking, so it does not need tariff increase in Abia,” he said.

On his part, Mr Jonathan Efiaworia said EEDC is not properly covering Abia resulting in energy waste, stressing that improved management and recouping funds owed would give them the money they seek through tariff increase.

He said that the increase would not amount to improved infrastructure and better treatment of customers, but would ensure bill-paying consumers pay more for what others steal or is lost on the lines.

Chief Ike Opiigwe from Ogbor Hill said without the Distribution Company taking responsibility to maintain their equipment, improve their management, “the move to increase tariff will be a Christmas bonus to EEDC”.

He urged EEDC to stop leakages in finance and power supply to increase their income, noting that the DISCO should check its staff who steal from it.

“Some EEDC staff have customers who they collect money from and who do not pay their bills so we do not agree to the increase because we are suffering and contributing money to running of EEDC,” he said.

He however suggested that if they wanted to increase tariff they should not add more that 15 per cent.

Earlier, the Managing Director of EEDC, Mr Okey Nwosu, said issues for discussion on the tariff was very important to enable stakeholders contribute to the company’s progress.

He said there was the need for tariff increase now because the cost of doing business had increased for the company, noting that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission will take the discussion back to Abuja.

Nwosu, represented by Head, CTO, Mr Vincent Ekwuekwu, said their services would improve if tariff is increased, which is the reason for the consultation.

Mr Emeka Onyewule, the NERC representative from Abuja, said Aba is very important to the business of EEDC, but that it requires money to improve services.

He said stakeholders should contribute to the discourse to arrive at something better for parties but with the mindset that the government could increase the tariff without stakeholders’ input.

He said the stakeholders should not allow the DISCOs to shut down because people could run generators. (NAN)

IEI/ESAN/MST

Edited by Abiodun Esan/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Aba market women, others reject multiple taxes by govt.

Taxation
By Ijendu Iheaka
Aba (Abia), March 2, 2020 (NAN) Eziukwu market women in Aba have rejected multiple taxation imposed on them by Abia government.

The traders, who criticized the taxation in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the market premises on Monday said that paying it would affect their financial obligations to their families.

The women criticized breaking the taxation into related sub heads and kicked against the N18,000 tax imposed on owners of stalls in Eziukwu market.

However, the Abia Trade and Investment Commissioner, Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, described the protest as propaganda being used by the opposition to tackle the government of Abia.

Mrs Beatrice James, a trader in Zone 26 of the market, had told NAN that the market’s stewards were making life difficult for them with heavy bills through the year.

“We pay for environmental N2,500; sanitation N 2,500 twice in a year; gutter fee N2000; central security N2,500; Bakkassi security outfit N2000; fire extinguisher N2,500; proposed hall construction N2,000; and tax N3,600.

“They collect multiple taxes from us, we pay for fire extinguisher without getting the extinguishers; we pay a total of N5,500 yet our shops are broken into and our goods stolen after market hours.

“But this year they said that we should be paying N18,000; but we said it was too much and asked for a reduction to enable us to pay and they refused.

“So, we told them that we cannot pay such sum and we went to Court with them.

“Now, what they are doing is to go and pick any of us who they find in court after court sessions,” she said.

She noted that last week Monday the traders went to the market only to find that government agents had locked their shops because of the N18,000.

Mrs Chinenye Uchenna said, “we pay for security in four places: central security (N2,500), zonal security (N2000), Bakkassi (N1000), and supporting security (N500).

“In sanitation they divided it into three – we pay environmental fee (N1000), sanitation fee (N2000) and gutter fee (N500) – and also infrastructure levy (N2000).

“They came this year to demand we pay N18,000 consolidated revenue which we are asking: how are we going to get all this money to pay and for what items?’’

She said that most of the shops did not have goods that could generate enough to pay such amount hence the traders’ refusal to make the payment resulting in government’s antagonism to their ongoing court processes.

Mr Emmanuel Nwadinigwe, a trader, said that the amount was too much for him because he was trading in only used cement bags and paid rent of N15,000 annually.

He said his children could no longer go to school because of hardship stressing that he could not pay such amount of money and still feed his family.

Mr Kingsley John, Chairman, Eziukwu road market, Aba, denied imposing additional levies on traders in the market besides the N18,000 government approved as consolidated revenue for all markets.

He said that market leaders only demanded personal income tax of N3,600, sanitation levy of N3,000, infrastructure levy of N2,000, and another N2,000 fee for business premises.

John added that the charge for market development levy was N2,000, advertisement and signage fee (ABSA) was N2,000 and fire service levy was N2,400.

Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, the commissioner, while reacting to the protest said the fees were not new and started in 2015 following consultations with traders.

He said that the consultation gave birth to a law made by the Abia House of Assembly adding that women dealing in perishables were supposed to pay only N3,000 annually.

According to him, the fees are graded while only shop owners are to pay N18,000 per year. (NAN)
IEI/NNO/DCU
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Edited by Nick Nicholas/Donald Ugwu