By Uzo Ugwunze
The Caretaker Committee Nkpor Main Market led by Chief Paul Okafor (Ugochimereze) has installed 22 Solar powered Street Lights around the market and also embarked on serious security measures to secure the market from hoodlums and any form of fire outbreak as they brace up for Christmas seasonal rush.
Addressing newsmen in his Market office, Nkpor Idemili North LGA Anambra State shortly after the last general open market prayers for the year, Chief Paul Okafor recounted the various projects and programs his administration was able to achieve within the 2024 fiscal year beating his chest as the first market to pay in 100 percent of the traders stallage or IGR into the state government coffers.
According to him, we traders of Nkpor Main Market are very cooperative with the authorities. We comply with every directive given from both the State Government and Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) especially when we see the tax payers money at work considering the numerous projects carried out by Governor Chukwuma Soludo in different sectors of the State.
“Nkpor Main Market is the first major market to pay up the #17,500 tax for the 2024 fiscal year. Also, we are the only market that the IGR enforcement team has come to Cross check for total compliance.
“After the fire incidents we experienced last year December that gutted goods and shops worth millions of naira,we have taken several precautionary measures to forestall future occurrence.In the same vein, we have fulfilled all the three requirements directed by the House of Assembly for all the markets. Every line/block in our market has an industrial fire extinguisher. We have two functional Water boreholes with massive overhead tanks. All major entrance into the market have been decongested.We have installed 22 Solar powered search lights around the market. The only thing remaining now is the installation of solar powered Security CCTV Cameras which the state government gave out to a contractor in collaboration with the HOA.
“The traders also contributed #1,700 to carry out some of the internal projects including Repairing all the gates at the market entrance to ensure that there is no porous area for hoodlums to access the market. Also, we repaired the culverts at the major gates which used to be impassable for vehicles bringing in goods into the market.
“However, we are calling on State government to assist us by German-flooring the major Parks in the market because it is very cost intensive,” said Okafor.
Earlier, the Caretaker Chairman, Okafor as another fire preventive measure urged the line chairmen to ensure people use original Nigerian wire cable for electricity wiring in their shops adding that each block should have cut and base cut out fuse which will always be switched off before market closure daily to prevent sparks or power surge should high voltage light current come suddenly.
Narrating an ugly incident of fraud in the market by a fraudulent P.O.S. operator, Okafor said that the market leadership has decided that commercial POS operators must be registered with the authorities and each operator stationed in a particular place so that fraudulent transactions can be checkmated or traced.
He further advised traders to be watchful and vigilant as the rush for Christmas yuletide sales and buying intensifies because many shop lifters and thieves will flood the market disguised as buyers whereas they came to the market with ulterior motives.