By Peter Omopo
Former All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Paul Ikonne, has criticised Governor Alex Otti’s tax policies on Aba traders, describing them as harsh and inconsistent with campaign promises of relief for the business community.
In a statement issued Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Ujo Justice, Ikonne alleged that traders at Ariaria International Market, who previously paid ₦18,000 per shop annually, are now being charged over ₦36,000. With more than 88,000 shops in the market, he said, the levy amounts to about ₦3.1 billion in yearly collections.
“The same situation is happening at Ekeoha Shopping Centre, Timber Market, and other trading clusters in Aba,” Ikonne said, accusing the Otti administration of betraying the trust of traders who expected reduced taxes.
He also questioned the state government’s reported spending of ₦54 billion on renovating 51 schools and ₦7 billion on recreational centres, demanding evidence of completed projects.
“Governor Otti, fear God and show us the 51 schools you claimed to have renovated with ₦54 billion,” he declared.
Ikonne further criticised the alleged demand of up to ₦15 million from traders to re-acquire shops under the ongoing market remodelling scheme, insisting that this violated a Memorandum of Understanding signed with traders under the previous administration.
According to him, with a monthly federal allocation exceeding ₦30 billion, plus local government revenues, the state has sufficient resources to build and modernise markets with essential amenities such as electricity, potable water, fire services, and security—without imposing what he called “exploitative charges.”
“There is no justification for squeezing Aba traders dry when the government has the financial capacity to provide these amenities. This ₦15 million shop fee and ₦36,000 levy are exploitative and run contrary to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Ikonne said.
He warned that Aba’s economy, regarded as the heartbeat of Abia State, must not be “strangled by taxation without development,” adding that any government that punishes traders has failed in its duty to the people.
