According to report by THE CABLE on Monday December 1 2025, Paul Ikonne, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, has stated that Governor Alex Otti is stifling economic growth in the state by imposing excessive levies on traders and using market policies as a tool of political oppression.
In a press briefing in Umuahia, Ikonne said he is disappointed by the governor’s approach to market reforms, especially in Aba, where traders are facing harsh conditions. He said the current administration, which once campaigned against high taxation, has now doubled market levies from ₦18,000 to ₦36,000. He also alleged that government enforcement agents seal shops at night and demand payments of up to ₦45,000 before allowing traders to reopen.
Ikonne said the situation is further worsened by the ongoing demolition of shops in markets undergoing remodelling. He noted that the firm handling the project has failed to provide temporary stalls as agreed, leaving many traders stranded and without a source of income. He warned that the continued demolition without proper planning could destroy the livelihoods of thousands of families.
“How can a governor who receives over ₦30 billion in monthly federal allocations turn around to strangulate ordinary traders struggling to feed their families? The current tax system is inhumane, unfair and unacceptable,” he said. View, More,
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