Suspended Excos: Abuja Fruits Market Traders Seek Minister’s Intervention

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) branch of the Fruits Sellers Association of Nigeria (FSAN) in Zuba, has called on the FCT minister of state, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to intervene over the suspension of its elected executives by the authorities of Gwagwalada area council.

The chairman of the fruits market, Alhaji Ibrahim Talba, who made this call on Monday when he addressed newsmen at the market in Zuba, said the council chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri in a letter through the head of administration of the council announced the suspension of executives of the association without genuine reasons.

He said since the market was established over 26 years ago, the association always conducts the election to elect its executives that will pilot affairs of the market every four years without any external interference.

Talba said it was disheartening that the present administration of the council suddenly interfered in the affairs of the market association and went ahead to appoint caretakers to oversee the market.

“Our relationship with the present administration of Gwagwalada area council has been cordial, until recently when we received a letter suspending all duly elected executives and appointed caretakers to oversee the market,” he said.

According to him, upon receipt of the suspension letter, the executive members of the market went to meet with the council secretary to ascertain what was the problem, and he said the council could not explain their reasons for the suspension of its executives.

He said the association has been paying its revenue on a daily basis without any default, saying “even when the council increased the revenue, we didn’t complain, we have been paying,” he said.

“It was on this premise that the Zuba fruit market union is appealing to the minister of state for FCT, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to urgently wade into this matter before it will snowball into a breakdown of law and order,” he said.

Reacting, the secretary of Gwagwalada area council, Alhaji Mohammed Saba, said the council decided to suspend the union executives and appointed caretakers to oversee affairs of the market over the failure of the union executives to adhere to the council’s laid down rules.

Saba, who declined to mention what the rules are said, “You know the fruit market is owned and controlled by the Gwagwalada area council. A situation where a tenant wants to decide something for the landlord, which you know it cannot be acceptable.”