Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Members of the Association of Radio and Television Technicians in Anambra State (ARTANS), Onitsha, have issued an appeal to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, urging him to instruct his officials to discontinue the use of security operatives to harass and intimidate them in the market.
They alleged that electronic dealers at Iweka Road, Onitsha, where they engage in electronic repairs, are enlisting the services of government agencies and the police in an attempt to remove them.
In spite of a court order from the Anambra State High Court in Awka, the ARTANS group claims that the electronic dealers, who have already relocated to a new market, are employing police and state resources to intimidate and harass them, seeking to forcibly evict them from their business premises.
ARTANS members, who are technicians rather than electronic dealers, revealed that they were not consulted during the development of the new market and are unable to afford the N7 million per shop required for relocation.
Chief Sabastine Ebilite, the Chairman of the association, voiced concerns that, despite a court order prohibiting government agencies and the electronic dealers from forcibly ejecting them, they are facing arrest, torture, and shop closures.
Ebilite disclosed that the Registered Trustees of the Association of Radio and Television Technicians in Anambra had filed a lawsuit against various government officials and organisations, including the MD of Ocha Brigade Anambra State, Comrade Celestine Anere, as well as the Electronic Spare Parts Dealers Association.
He said the court had issued an order restraining these entities from carrying out any forced ejections or relocations of ARTANS members against their will.
He further highlighted that there have been instances where government is using its resources to coerce them into the new market, a move which they vehemently opposed.
Ebilite emphasised that they are legally recognised as the Association of Radio and Television Technicians in Anambra State (ARTANS), and not as Electronic Spare Parts Dealers – the proprietors of the new market.
He disclosed that issues faced by the ARTANS members have led to delays in their ability to work and provide for their families, despite the existing court order protecting them from eviction.
He called upon Governor Charles Soludo to intervene in their situation, stressing their commitment to upholding the law and contributing to the state through taxes and levies.
In response, Comrade Celestine Anere, MD of Ocha Brigade, expressed ignorance of any court order restraining his agency from executing government directives. He conveyed that a few troublemakers in the market had been detained and handed over to the area command.
Anere pointed out that the matter had previously been addressed by the Anambra House of Assembly, which had concurred that dealers should relocate to the new market. He suggested that the reluctance to move may stem from the association’s chairman, who purportedly declined the relocation offer.
The court order issued by the Anambra State High Court in Awka has ordered all involved parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, preventing the forceful ejection of ARTANS members from their business locations at Iweka Road pending the resolution of the ongoing suit. A hearing on the case has been scheduled for September 10, 2024, with a commitment to expedite the proceedings.
