By Tina Amanda
The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) Rivers State Chapter, has successfully elected a State Chairman to pilot her affairs for the next four years, after so fifteen (15) years of no leadership representation at the state level.
The election which was conducted in an open ballot system brought in Comrade Benjamin Gift Nkesi as State Chairman-elect.
Nkesi emerged as Chairman unopposed, the Vice Chairman position was contested and won by Ogbonna Patrick, while Dauda Ola emerged the Secretary General unopposed and Gift Okafor as the Public Relations Officer.
Other executive positions contested are; Treasurer – won by Blessing Paul, Financial Secretary – Jude Onuoha, Provost 1 – Jeremiah Promise, and Provost 2 – Chikodi Ike.
In an interview with our Correspondent shortly after the election, Comrade Nkesi assured traders in the state that everyone would be carried along, noting his administration will create policies that would be beneficial and favorable to all traders.
“Am thankful to God for being elected as NANTS Chairman, I believe you must pass through God to achieve anything. I was asked to pick the state chairman form and I got endorsement from various market Chairmen and am assuring traders that I will work with both the losers and the winners in this election.
“My government will be favorable to everyone I do not believe in eating alone. My records as Chairman of Mile 3 market Diobu, Port Harcourt, speak for themselves, all the executives working with me I pay them a salary every month it was my initiative.
“As a new administration, I will create policies where all the market leaders in Rivers State will come together and take a collective decision. Everybody must be carried along”.
Speaking on the issue of persisting trading on Bishop Okoye Street Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt. Nkesi maintained that it is a tough task, based on the people benefiting from the street trading there, stressing that the Governor of the state has the power to close down the market.
He said further that his administration will interface with the Chairman Port Harcourt local government council and the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in respect to the second phase of Mile 1 market built and left by the administration of former Governor, Nyesom Wike, as he cannot take unilateral decision on the issue.
In his remark, Election Committee Chairman, Ejike Ifeanyi, urged the new State executives to work in the interest of traders in the state and ensure all traders are been carried along.
He expressed happiness that the NANTS election had no political interference or influence as it took place at a neutral time, after the general election in the state had come and gone, noting that so many people and politicians do use traders for politics.
State Lead for Rivers State Tax Justice and Governance Platform, Ameachi Kelechi, a Civil Society organization who observed the election process, said the election is a right step in the right direction following their advocacy in respect to a fair tax justice system.
“We have been engaging with markets in Rivers State in respect to our tax justice intervention in promoting fair and progressive taxation, in case of that we were invited as a stakeholder to observe the election because it is intending with one of our advocacy agenda.
“This election marked a milestone in the collaborative relationship between NANTS and the Tax Justice and Governance Platform as it speaks to the platforms enabling civic space component of the Power of Voices partnerships fair for All project, funded by Oxfam Nigeria, facilitated by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center and anchored by Community Conciliation and Development Initiative.
“Tax Justice and Governance Platform have been advocating for a democratization of the market leadership without the interference of the Government.
“Today we are glad to see that the market’s given to the advocacy we have had with them, they were able to conduct the election on their own without any form of political interference that speaks on our advocacy mandate.
“When we talk about civic space we talk about people’s right to associate, organize, and express themselves freely without undue political interference that is what we have seen manifest today.
Kelechi however urged the new traders executive in the state to look into in the issue around multiple taxation in the market, and the provision of amenities such as dispensaries, sanitation, and water, so that the markets would be a better place for people to come and do business to generate revenue.
