Kano-Okwei Market Denies Collecting Tolls from Wheelbarrow Pushers

By Eche Nwaobasi, Nnewi

Members of the caretaker committee of Kano/Okwei Street Market, Onitsha, have distanced themselves from allegations of illegal toll collection from wheelbarrow pushers operating within the market.
The caretaker committee, led by its Chairman, Mr. Ebere Obi, denied accusations of extortion and the collection of money from wheelbarrow operators.
He described the claims as false and misleading.
According to Obi, the allegation was made by an unidentified individual who claimed to be a wheelbarrow pusher during a call-in programme on a local radio station in Onitsha.
The newly inaugurated caretaker committee made this clarification while briefing journalists in the chairman’s office.
The committee insisted that the market executive has never collected or demanded money from any wheelbarrow pusher under any circumstance.
“The executive has never collected a kobo from any wheelbarrow pusher for any reason,” . “What actually happened was that some individuals began diverting goods entrusted to them to unknown destinations instead of delivering them to the rightful owners. As a result, we reported these criminal acts to the Main Market Police Division.”he said said.
The committee explained that, in collaboration with the police, they proposed introducing uniforms (aprons) and creating a register for wheelbarrow pushers to enable proper identification and tracking in cases of theft.
He added, however, that the arrangement had not yet been implemented before the intervention of the state leadership of the wheelbarrow pushers’ union, which assured them that it would identify and discipline those responsible for the criminal activities.
Reacting to the development, the Anambra State Wheelbarrow Owners and Pushers Association, led by Mr. Ikechukwu Ezeorachalu, confirmed that the union had taken over the matter concerning Kano and Okwei Street markets.
However, Ezeorachalu expressed concern that some market leaders were allegedly planning to use similar regulatory measures to intimidate and extort money from their members.
He noted that this would contravene the directive of the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, which exempts wheelbarrow operators from any form of taxation in the state.
Ezeorachalu criticized what he described as unnecessary interference by some market leaders, accusing them of making operations difficult for both traders and wheelbarrow operators.
“Our union has established mechanisms to identify criminal elements among wheelbarrow pushers,” “Unfortunately, some market leaders do not give us the opportunity to carry out this responsibility effectively.”he said.
He explained that every registered wheelbarrow is assigned a number, while each operator is issued an identification card duly endorsed by the union.
“If you want to engage any wheelbarrow operator, first note the number on the wheelbarrow, request the operator’s ID card, and record the details. If the person absconds with your goods, report to our office—we will track the individual and recover your property,” he stated.
The union leader further alleged that some market authorities prevent their task force from operating within certain markets, thereby hindering proper monitoring of individuals posing as legitimate operators.
Ezeorachalu also raised concerns about a fraudulent practice he described as “carry and discharge,” where a trader purchases a wheelbarrow, fails to register it, and assigns it to an accomplice who poses as a legitimate operator.
According to him, such individuals may be hired to transport goods, only to disappear and later return the stolen items to the original owner—the trader who orchestrated the scheme.
“These same individuals then turn around to accuse genuine wheelbarrow pushers of theft,” he alleged.
While lamenting the challenges faced by the union, Ezeorachalu appealed to the state government to direct market leaders to grant the union full access to markets across the state.
“Allowing us to manage our operations within and outside the markets without interference or intimidation from market leaders will go a long way in eliminating the challenges facing wheelbarrow pushers,” he said.