Dear Mr Governor,
Let me start by appreciating you for the laudable projects you have embarked on since your election as the executive governor of Anambra state.
The expectation from you across Africa and beyond is humongous that many expected you to solve all the problems with the wave of hand.
It is also good to note that as a human that you have conducted the affairs of the state with utmost humility and sense of purpose even though people like us expected so much from you.
However, the purpose of this open letter is to draw your attention to the new Solution Arena recently commissioned by you at Abakiliki junction by Unizik.The Solution Arena is without sounding immodest beautifully envisioned and built.Therefore it’s my considered opinion that such model should be replicated in all the corners of the three major cities in Anambra state using the PPP arrangement.All public spaces within this Cities should be recovered for such purpose and this is the sure way to minimize or possibly eradicate Street trading and hawking permanently.
Though it appears there is no reliable data on the actual number of people already in street trading, it’s not late in the day to discreetly begin enumeration and identification of genuine people into road side trading that meet certain set conditions for integration.These people in my opinion are part of the trade value chain that should not be neglected.Government has a lot of capacity to organize various interest groups with the main aim of maximizing public good and support.
Mr Governor, Surprisingly, I was taken aback when someone confided in me and alleged that your handlers at Solution arena were renting each small shop at an annual rate of #300,000 including PR of #100,000 and expression of interest form of N5000! They were deceived that allocation of the shops will be on balloting basis but ended up with direct allocation without refunding the N5000 !
Because, I have no place to verify Government information, thus, this public letter becomes necessary to draw your attention to this official extortion and sleaze.
If you will remember during the commissioning of the said Solution Arena and on quote; you specifically informed the public that the open shops will be given to street traders at a token!
I guess the figure I heard is not a token and runs contrary to the aim of the Solution arena as an interventionist model that would moderate the excesses of manipulative tendencies and forces in the dislocated or displaced market areas and at the same time demonstrating an administration with a human face.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well so just like the employment of teachers based on merit, I expected the handlers of Solution Arena to follow due process in renting out the open shops.Such due process could lead to selling of forms at a highly discounted rate of #1000 or within that range and consequent organization of public raffle draw for all the intended traders.
Government business is usually more of welfare maximization over profit maximization; so a token for such should be within reach and as low as #2500 per month,#30,000 per annum in order to make it affordable.
In conclusion, it is to my wish this issue is resolved and given considerable attention.
As always thank you.
Ndubuisi Anaenugwu.
Ambassador general of Good governance ministry.
