By Muhammad Maitela, Damaturu
The United Marketers Association Potiskum (UMAPO) has said that it has concluded arrangements for a peaceful protest against the recent actions of Potiskum Local Government Council of revoking places of their routine businesses.
Nasiru Alhaji Mato, Chairman United Marketers Association Potiskum (UMAPO) revealed in a statement made available to newsmen in Potiskum on Friday.
According to him, the Potiskum Local Government Council is adamant about the plights of it’s citizens especially the business community. They’re launching a war against the business community in the town, they have issued a quit notice and revocation letter to our members who have been occupying the place and shops for legitimate businesses for over 50 years.
“They recently insisted that all those operating within the old Potiskum Local Government Secretariat issued letters to all those selling materials within the NPN Market shops also revoked including Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were also asked to vacate their offices simply because the Local Government Council intends to dispose the place.”
“We are totally not in support of this dictatorial decision, we are condemning this unacceptable and selfish decisions, we have collectively resolved to close down all the markets within Potiskum town on wednesday, 3rd January 2024 all entries into the martlets will be shut down, this is to show our anger to this ugly decision.”
The UMAPO Chairman added that “we’re just recovering from the pains and losses of the Insurgency and the local government is insensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of the citizens, we must rise up to protect the interest of our people, they voted for us to stand by them in whatever circumstances.”
We are calling on Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, the People’s Governor to intervene by stopping Potiskum LGA towards creating chaos among the people”.
The UMAPO with strong voice is appealing to the Governor to come to our aid before our sources of livelihood and household finances were stopped if the situation is not urgently addressed”.
“We have a population of over 50,000 petty traders also accused the LGA of conniving with forces to illegally hijack shops from us and reallocating same to their cronies.
“In the past, we have endured a manner of unpleasant treatments from the LG administration, we’re tired of this. We have been regularly paying all the taxes for the Local Government, why should they embark on this unacceptable actions”.
“Afterwards, they started pasting revocation letters on our shops indicating that they have retrieved our shops from us.
“Before now, we were hearing rumours that our shops had been sold by the the Local government to some wealthy and influential individuals so, seeing how we have been denied access to make payments and the revocation letters pasted on our shops, it started to seem more like what we were hearing as rumours were becoming true.” The chairman insisted.
