The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor, has taken a swipe at the officials of the state Ministry of Trade Industry and Investment, accusing them of incompetence.
Ewhrudjakpor made the remark while receiving the report of the Swali Market Conflict Resolution Committee headed by Chief Boma Spero-Jack at the Government House, Yenagoa, on November 25, 2024.
The deputy governor said the crisis which erupted in the market would have been averted, if the ministry charged with such a responsibility had been alive to its duties.
“I think what is happening at the Swali Market is a failure from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment. It is because of the compromise of the leadership of the ministry, with due respect to them, that is why they have this problem.
“So, I think it is an issue of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment not being able to provide leadership, either as a result of leadership ineptitude or compromised leadership that takes sides. There are a lot of reports of compromise about the ministry,” Ewhrudjakpo declared.
The deputy governor announced a ban on all tribal and ethnic-based traders’ associations in all markets in the state, saying such associations can no longer operate in Swali and other markets within Bayelsa State.
Ewhrudjakpo therefore directed the state commissioner of police to enforce the ban, stating that henceforth, any person who violates the order shall be arrested. He emphasised that markets should not be where people promote their tribes or reduce trading activities to issues of ethnicity.
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“The commissioner for information will make the formal announcement. All tribal traders’ associations in that market is hereby banned – no Isoko traders association, no Urhobo traders association, no Igbo traders association, and no Ijaw traders association, and others not mentioned here.
“All such existing tribal associations are hereby banned in all our markets across the state. None should exist. The commissioner of police and other law enforcement agencies of government are hereby directed to arrest anyone or group parading themselves as such.
“If anybody goes there and start to say I am the chairman of Igbo Traders Association, Swali branch, government would take on you. That is not recognized by us. All those association are banned and they remain banned,” the deputy governor stressed.
Presenting the report, Chief Boma Spero-Jack, the Chairman of the Swali Market Conflict Resolution Committee, identified unhealthy politicization of the traders’ associations and inordinate ambition by various interests to control revenue being generated at the Swali Market as the cause of the crisis.
