The protest embarked upon by traders in Cross River State has taken a different dimension as spare part dealers, timber traders, building material, electrical and pharmaceutical stores join.
DAILY POST observed that some of the traders who did not take part in the protest on Monday joined it on Tuesday closing their shops and stores in the state.
The spare part dealers, timber dealers, building material owners, electrical and pharmaceutical store owners all closed their shops against customers in protest of continuous kidnapping of traders.
Reacting to the situation on Tuesday, the Cross River State Government frowned at the two-day protest by traders in the state to compel the state government to take drastic actions against kidnapping which has affected many of their members.
Speaking at a meeting with members of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANT), Cross River chapter on Tuesday in her office in Calabar, the Commissioner for Commerce, Mrs. Rosemary Archibong expressed the State Government’s displeasure over the markets shut-down saying it was ill-timed.
Archibong said considering the milestone reached by the State Government in smashing kidnappers den, as well as fighting other criminal activities in the state, there should have been proper consultation, adding that these efforts had yielded some positive results in recent times.
“While I sympathise with the traders over the kidnapping of their members, I call for cooperation as the Government of Cross River, under the leadership of Gov. Ben Ayade continues to make progress against all forms of crimes,” she said.
Responding, the Chairman of NANT in the state, Mr Ejike Chukwu, stated that the said market shutdown was not embarked upon by all traders but dealers of Electrical materials, building materials, spare parts and Pharmaceutical products.
He promised that NANT would synergize with all trade unions in the State, to resolve the issues and ensure that markets are reopened for business.
