Officials of the Anambra State government have continued their destruction of newspapers and newsstands in Awka, the state capital.
The Newspapers affected are the Vanguard, The Nation, The Sun, Punch, Guardian and other publications.
In the last one week, touts engaged by the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, have been beating up newspaper vendors in the state, destroying their tables and newspapers.
On Thursday and Friday, the government-empowered youths who act as touts descended on the vendors at the popular Aroma junction in Awka, unleashing attacks on them.
While carrying out the destruction, they boasted that they would continue the battle against the vendors, mocking them to report to whoever they chose to.
They claimed that the governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, was fully aware of what they were doing and supports their action.
One of the vendors, Nancy, who cried profusely wondered why Governor Chukwuma Soludo should allow touts to be destroying the means of livelihood of poor people.
She urged proprietors of the various newspapers to prevail on the governor to stop the harassment of vendors in the state, warning that they would soon stop selling newspapers in Anambra State.
Nancy narrated on Friday how they went to plead with an official of ACTDA to allow them do their business, only for him to tell her that he had been reading what he called ‘the nonsense being written about us”.
Nancy quoted him as saying: “The more I read these things, the more daring our task force become. Mr. Governor has been commending us for what we are doing and we the newspapers can go and complain to the president.”
In spite of booing by passersby and those who read newspapers at the stands, the government touts have continued their operation.
Last week, the action of ACTDA officials attracted the attention of the state lawmakers, who frowned at the ongoing destruction in the state capital.
They advocated for the setting up of mini markets to put an end to street trading and associated effects on the state capital.
“There are many quarters within Awka Metropolis where government can establish local mini-markets to serve the people living within those areas.
“It is almost impossible to secure a shop within the already established markets and the cost of the limited shops available are high and exorbitant for poor people to rent.
The creation of mini-markets within Awka will be a solution to the menace of street trading and serve as a means of encouraging micro businesses, thereby achieving the goals of making Anambra a livable and prosperous homeland”, the member representing Awka South 1 constituency, Hon Henry Mbachu who sponsored the motion said.
Story Culled From Vanguard Newspaper Except for Headline Cast
