Sapele Market Women On Collision Course With Council Chairman

A storm is brewing at the Sapele Main Market as women traders have risen up against the council chairman, Hon Bright Abeke, accusing him of high-handedness and policies that undermine their interests. The traders, predominantly women, claim that Chairman Abeke’s decisions are causing them hardship and making life difficult for them.

At the heart of the dispute is Chairman Abeke’s directive that traders must conduct business strictly within their stores. The women argue that this policy is impractical, as many of them share small, overcrowded stores that cannot accommodate all their products, particularly perishable items like tomatoes and pepper.

“We are not against trading inside our stores, but Chairman Abeke should have allowed us to trade in front of our vendors,” said one of the traders. “How can we keep fresh produce like tomatoes inside? It will spoil, and we will lose our investment.”

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The market women are also accusing Chairman Abeke’s team of extorting them by seizing their goods. They claim that the chairman’s policies are not in line with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s MORE agenda, which aims to promote the welfare and well-being of citizens.

The women have vowed to take to the streets to express their grievances and shut down the market until Governor Oborevwori intervenes. “We are tired of being treated like slaves and second-class citizens by Chairman Abeke’s team,” said one of the traders. “We will fight for our rights and interests.”

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Chairman Abeke will respond to the market women’s grievances and find a solution to their problems. The women are calling on Governor Oborevwori to intervene and call Chairman Abeke to order. They have also threatened to take their protest to the streets of Sapele if their demands are not met.