By Chinonso Alozie, Owerri

As the power public supply remained shut down in Imo State, since Thursday, the Imo state Amalgamated Market and Allied Traders Association, ISAMATA, has warned the National Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajero, to call off a strike or that the Imo traders would resist him by facing him (Ajero) squarely.

The traders led by the president of ISAMATA, Emmanuel Ezeanochie, took this decision on Friday, during their protest at the front of the government house in Owerri.

In their grievances as stated in the protest placards, they said: “Ajero don’t frustrate Imo people”, “Ajero playing politics with lives of Imo people”, “Traders say no to Ajero strike”, “NLC doesn’t add pains to Imo people”, “Traders say no to economic strangulation”, “Imo traders suffering due to Ajero’s strike”, Governor Hope Uzodimma please intervene to the rescue traders.”

According to Ezeanochie, “We can’t be part of this strike, how can somebody who stays in Abuja dictate to us what is happening in Imo State, our members are still struggling to survive from the hash cashless policy, the fuel stations are selling at very high prices and now he wants to shut down the market, we say no.

“If he has any political problem with anybody, let him go and solve it and not involve us, he shouldn’t play politics with our lives, we are traders and contribute to the economy of this State, why is trying to shut down our market and the State.”

According to the ISAMATA, Coordinator in Orlu Zone, comrade Ngbemere Udoka, “We are saying no to the strike ordered by Joe Ajero, of NLC, we can’t continue to die in pain. We are going to face Ajero squarely. Please we are not happy. These problems we face in the Imo state are man-made. Just like the cashless policy, we are facing more hardship in Imo than in any other state.

“Ajero has shut down the public power supply, and he wants to don’t die at the fuel station. We are not happy. We are here to call on the Governor of Imo to state that he should intervene or we the traders will face him face to face.”

Reacting, the Deputy Governor of Imo state, Placid Njoku, said: “The governor has asked me to come and listen to your grievances. Our government wants the traders to do business in a conducive environment. We are sensitive to the pains of our people. Whenever you cry, we the government will respond. We do not know why anybody will come and cause the papain state has suffered the issue of security in the hands of unknown gunmen.

“If Ajero does not know that there is a government in this state, very soon he will soon know that there is a government. We will engage with the petroleum marketers and find a way of reducing the pump price.”