…hail removal of thugs from markets, parks
Market women and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Edo State have staged solidarity walks in support of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The leader of the Market Women Association, Madam Blackie Ogiamien, in their separate march, told the governor “We are here to express our appreciation to your leadership style. As keen followers of your administration, we salute you for your various initiatives which includes the promotion of cleanliness through the weekly sanitation introduced by your administration.
“Many persons have attested to the restoration of law and order in the state capital. This has improved the free flow of human and vehicular traffic especially around markets. In the beginning it seemed like child’s play but today, we have seen the result.”
Ogiamien maintained that “As mothers, wives and workers, your prompt payment of workers is quite commendable as it encourages workers to plan ahead and meet the demands of their families.
“We market women commend you for demobilising street urchins and thugs or ‘agberos’ who were terrorizing our markets and making trading almost impossible. We commend you for restoring sanity in this area as we the market women now have peace and are able to do our business without any harassment.”
She appealed to the governor not to allow for the return of thugs in the state, recalling the harrowing experiences they had in the hands of the thugs while they held sway.
In his response, Governor Obaseki expressed his appreciation to the women for their support, and explained: “With the support of members of my administration, we stopped ticketing through which different groups were extorting market women. I never knew that my pronouncement would go far and restore sanity in the city, which has improved the total revenue collected by the local government monthly.”
In a separate event, the Chairman, Edo State Chapter of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr Odion Olaye, who led other members of the union on a solidarity walk to the Government House in Benin City, commended the governor for what he called “the good work Obaseki has done within a short time in office,” and assured that members of the union are behind him.
“We are here to pass a vote of confidence on you as the governor of Edo State, because of the good work you are doing for us in the state. It is only those who are blind that will not see the good work you are doing. You are building roads, we are seeing the projects and our members are happy with you. We appreciate the good work you are doing with the Edo State Traffic Management Agency (EDSTMA), the vigilante group and the Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) programme.
He urged those peddling falsehood to distract the governor to desist from the act and maintained that the governor deserved to be praised.
In his remark, the governor expressed appreciation to members of the union for their support and assured that his administration is determined to make life more meaningful for the average Edo person.
“My vision is to transform the economy and make the state viable for businesses to thrive. I have engaged contractors to rehabilitate and reconstruct roads across the 18 local government areas of the state.”
