Ose-Okwodu Market Booms with Commercial Activities As Nothern Traders Lament Losses
By Oge Onyeanusi, Onitsha
Northern traders at the popular Ose-Okwodu Foodstuffs Market, Onitsha are now counting their losses following regular closure of the market due to IPOB sit-ata -home order.
Some dealers on onions,beans,dry fish and other grains that distribute their products in the market are recently living in fear of losing their customers or having their goods destroyed as many of them are perishable farm produce.
The Chairman, Ose-Okwodu Market, Onitsha, Chief Anthony Onwuetiaka told our correspondent that the normal business activities had resumed in the market on Monday this week as directed by Gov.Willie Obiano.
Chief Onwuetiaka further disclosed that all preparations had been made for full-fledged commercial activities to resume in the market as several major stakeholders have expressed confidence and coorperation to continue with their businesses which he noted have suffered monumental losses.
He, however, appealed to traders and customers to continue to visit the market to make their transactions as usual.
One of the traders ,Alhaji Abubakar Usman,a tomato seller in the market also told our correspondent that the regular closure of the market was having adverse effect on not only Igbo traders in the market,but more on northern traders who deal on perishable farm produce.
Ose-Okwodu Market Booms with Commercial Activities As Nothern Traders Lament Losses
Alhaji Usman who identified himself as a large scale tomato farmer who also owns a shop at Ose-Okwodu Market revealed that his lorry load of tomatoes from his farms in far away Maiduguri had to source an alternative market to supply his produce as the South East Region where he had since established a formidable supply market remained shut during the sit-at-home.
The successful tomato farmer/ trader further told our correspondent that the tomato market near the 302 Artillery Regiment where he normally supplies his produce for eventual buyers had been under lock and key and called on the South East Governors to see to the of regular close of businesses by dialoguing with all aggrieved parties.
Malam Jubril Sirika,a dry fish dealer at Ose-Okwodu who joined the former in pleading for an end to frequent closure of markets in the South East emphasised that it was having adverse effect on the people, including northern traders who had established a formidable business supply chain in this part of the country.
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