Asaba market traders protest illegal levies

Aggrieved traders at the popular Ogbeogonogo Market, Asaba, Delta State, yesterday protested what they described as illegal levies imposed on them by some person who claimed to be Oshimili South Local Government Council Taskforce Officials.

But the council boss, Mr. Chuks Obossom, dismissed their protest as frivolous, saying the market revenue collection had been contracted to a financial firm, Osaji & Co.

The protesters chanted war songs and caused grid lock along Nnebisi Road, Asaba, for several hours before matching towards the State Government House, Awai Road, where they were addressed by the secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovie Festus Agas.

One of the protesters, Mark Okoli, said, “We are protesting the levies, it is illegal, we used to pay N150.00, what are we selling? We will resist the increase, it is illegal.”Our correspondent gathered that the financial firm, Osaji & Co had increased the traders’ daily payment from N150.00 to N500.00, an increase that resulted in the protest.

Agas, however, appealed to the protesters to exercise restraint as the state government would find a lasting solution to the situation.