A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Paul Ikonne, has condemned what he described as the unbearable hardship being meted out to traders in Aba, a commercial hub of the State, by Governor Alex Otti’s administration through a new tax regime.
He called on Otti to immediately reverse the ‘inhumane’ tax regime, respect the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with traders, deliver visible and people-oriented governance instead.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Ujo Justice, while addressing stakeholders, including some market leaders, Ikonne noted that Aba—widely recognised as one of the commercial hubs of Nigeria—was being crippled by Otti’s tax policies.
In a statement circulated in Abuja, the APC chieftain said traders in Ariaria International Market, who previously paid N18,000 per shop, are now forced to pay over N36,000 yearly.
“With more than 88,000 shops in Ariaria alone, this translates to an outrageous ₦3.1 billion annually,” Ikonne said.
He said the same story of pain and suffocation was playing out at Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Timber Market, and other trading clusters in Aba.
Ikonne asked: “why should Aba traders—the very heartbeat of commerce in southern Nigeria be strangled by such reckless and selfish-driven taxation?”
He recalled that Otti promised Aba traders lower taxes during his campaign, but the reverse is the reality and instead of providing relief, the administration was exploiting the sweat of hardworking businessmen and women.
Ikonne also condemned the total abandonment of the MoU signed with the previous administration, which guaranteed traders the right to reclaim their shops after remodelling.
“That agreement has been thrown into oblivion, leaving traders displaced, frustrated, and at the mercy of government manipulation.
“A people-centered administration should protect the interest of its traders, not betray them,” Ikonne stressed.
Ikonne also wondered why the Otti government was asking traders in Ariaria to pay as high as N15 million to re-acquire their shops after remodelling, describing it as an anti-trader policy that adds untold hardship and suffering.
He stressed that the monthly federal allocation of over N30 billion to Abia state and local governments which receive over N100 million were more than enough to provide modern, well-equipped markets with necessary amenities such as power supply, potable water, fire service stations, and security—without exploiting traders.
“There is no justification for squeezing Aba traders dry when government has the financial capacity to build these markets and still provide essential infrastructure. This N15 million shop fee and ₦N36,000 annual revenue levy are wicked, exploitative, and not in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is designed to water the ground for the masses and ease the burden of doing business,” he declared.
