Traders at Nwugo Beer Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, have protested what they described as an alleged attempt to take over the market by Ifeanyi Franklin Okeke, popularly known as “Venus.”
The traders alleged that their former caretaker chairman, Moses Umeh, introduced Okeke to them as the new owner of the market.
However, the traders disputed the claim, insisting that the market was originally acquired from the Anambra State Government and subsequently developed by the traders.
They are therefore demanding clarification on who purportedly sold or transferred the market to a private individual and the authority under which such a transaction may have been carried out.
The dispute has also extended to the collection of levies within the market. According to the traders, a new monthly security levy of ₦20,000 is being demanded from each shop, while trailers are allegedly required to pay ₦50,000 to offload goods.
The traders further alleged that some of their colleagues were denied access to the market after failing to pay the new charges.
They also claimed that the market’s name had been changed from Nwugo Beer Market to Ihioma Beer Market, a development they said had heightened concerns among traders.
As of the time of this report, no official document has been made available to confirm that the market was sold or legally transferred to Okeke.
The Anambra State Ministry of Commerce and the Onitsha South Local Government Area are therefore urged to clarify the market’s current ownership, management structure and the legal status of any purported transfer or change of name.
The affected traders are also seeking transparency over the levies being collected and the authority responsible for administering the market.
